In Connecticut, gig workers are typically classified as independent contractors or employees under the strict ABC test (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 31-222), which presumes employee status unless the hiring entity proves all three prongs: (A) the worker is free from control, (B) the service is outside the employer’s usual business, and (C) the worker operates an independently established trade or business with multiple clients, advertising, licenses, and their own tools.
ABC Test Prongs
Prong A (Control): Worker must perform services independently without direction on how to complete tasks.
Prong B (Business Scope): Services must not be integral to the employer’s core operations (e.g., delivery drivers for a food app likely fail this).
Prong C (Independent Business): Worker needs business entity status, liability insurance, multiple clients, and self-investment; single-client gig workers often fail.
Gig-Specific Rules
Connecticut mandates minimum pay for third-party delivery drivers starting October 2025 via Senate Bill 1487, requiring platforms to ensure fair compensation without reclassifying all as employees. Unemployment benefits for gig workers follow federal PUA processes via state systems, but misclassification risks fines, back wages, and taxes. Platforms face scrutiny for algorithmic wage opacity, with calls for transparency.
To determine status, review contracts against ABC criteria or consult CT DOL; misclassification suits are rising amid gig growth.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.housedems.ct.gov/rochelle/article/unemployment-guidance-self-employed-individuals-and-gig-workers)
[2](https://www.jibble.io/labor-laws/us-state-labor-laws/connecticut)
[3](https://www.postercompliance.com/blog/labor-law-compliance-for-gig-workers-what-employers-need-to-know/)
[4](https://citizenportal.ai/articles/2898522/Connecticut/Connecticut-mandates-minimum-pay-for-third-party-delivery-drivers-starting-2025)
[5](https://millershah.com/blog/new-portable-benefits-bill/)
