Who Still Has Leverage in the New Remote Hierarchy?

[mendez]

The ability to insist on remote work now depends heavily on skill scarcity. Freelancers with niche expertise—such as AI, cybersecurity, or specialized legal knowledge—retain bargaining power because companies can’t easily replace them.

By contrast, workers in commodity roles face a harsh squeeze: freelance insecurity paired with office-style control. For both freelancers and businesses, this is a warning sign. Blanket office mandates can backfire legally, and independent workers should regularly ask themselves whether their role still passes the independence test—or whether the line into disguised employment is starting to blur.

[AIcash]

fixed-term contractors getting employee rules with none of the benefits feels rough