"Instead, it [Handy] relies on an army of independent contractors to complete jobs, taking a 15% to 20% commission of every hour worked"
This is where it doesn't feel like an employer. Employers take more like 50%. So yeah, you don't get protections, and you get higher take-home pay. It sounds like a pain in the ass when you have to buy your own supplies, handle customers, etc., but all that is not uncommon even for employees. The result of leaving the workers responsible for all these details (and risks) is increased potential: the ability to optimize your work, and very directly benefit from that.
This is where it doesn't feel like an employer. Employers take more like 50%. So yeah, you don't get protections, and you get higher take-home pay. It sounds like a pain in the ass when you have to buy your own supplies, handle customers, etc., but all that is not uncommon even for employees. The result of leaving the workers responsible for all these details (and risks) is increased potential: the ability to optimize your work, and very directly benefit from that.