Are Uber drivers contractors or employees? It's in the courts

The WSJ has the story: Meet the Boston Lawyer Who’s Putting Uber on Trial
"Ms. Liss-Riordan represents drivers who say the ride-service company has illegally classified them as freelancers and not employees, barring them from reimbursements for their expenses, among other protections. She is also suing Lyft, Postmates and others over the labor model on which they depend.
...
"The closely watched Uber case, which continues in federal court in San Francisco on Wednesday, won class-action status in September and could go to trial as early as next year. A final verdict against Uber in this case could change how the firm does business with its drivers and send shocks through the on-demand economy.

"Uber’s lawyers have argued that it is a software platform connecting car owners with people seeking rides, and not the manager of a fleet of drivers. The $51 billion venture-backed company has no plans to settle and is willing to fight the case to the Supreme Court if necessary, according to people familiar with its legal strategy."

Market for wedding guests

Here's an unusual market for temporary workers:
Japanese company does thriving trade in 'fake friends'

"Along with choosing a dress and booking a honeymoon, there is one other item to add to the wedding checklist in Japan: hiring fake friends.
Office Agents, a Tokyo-based company, rents out friends, work colleagues and even relatives to pad out the guest list.
Brides or grooms who want to impress their prospective partners with their sheer volume of friends are among those secretly padding the guest list with fakes.
The recession has also boosted the popularity of the service. With unemployment rising and a growing number of Japanese in part time jobs, people rent fake bosses or colleagues."