Q: Is it safe to hire help in the Home Depot parking lot?

The ‘Gig’ economy is thriving. Apps help us find independent contractors to get us places (Uber, Lyft), deliver our food (Grubhub, Doordash), and walk our dog (Bark).

When loading your vehicle with materials for a project at home, and somebody offers their services for the day, this may feel like the Gig economy at work. It is, in a sense, but with very serious limitations. The Companies noted above screen their independent gig workers and require an appropriate level of training, licensing, and insurance for their respective industries.

If you hire a guy in a parking lot, you have no idea about his skills, background, licensing, or insurance. He could damage your home, or hurt himself, making you responsible for the cost of the damage and his medical bills.