The problem here is that employer-employee isn't perfect. Employers are expected to provide a variety of things, like health insurance, sick leave, parental leave, and even vacation, among other things. There are costs to all of these benefits. These costs are amortized and factored into your pay, and effectively reduces your pay.

Imagine you make $130k a year--that's about $65/hr in your eyes. But to the employer, factoring in the ancillary costs of benefits, and payroll taxes, you likely cost around $100/hr. What if instead, every person instead had their own little personal one-person LLC, and they worked as independent contractors? Then you would bill for hours worked, and you could get paid the $100/hr you actually cost.

The downside to this is that you don't get paid when you are sick, or have a child. But a more accurate way of putting that is that your coworkers do not subsidize/pay for your parental or sick leave. You'd have to get independent insurance to cover such situations. You would also get a solo 401(k) for saving, you'd get your own health insurance, and manage your own benefits in general.[1] It could be a bit empowering.

[1] A bit off-topic, but note that solo 401(k)s come with a higher contribution limit got $52,000 verses $18,000 for regular 401(k)s. I've also found that healthcare.gov offers a lot of choice (at least in New York, NY), and I'd rather my company pay me the amount they spend of health insurance, and I get my own care (provided there is an above-the-line tax deduction for health insurance premiums).

Ah yes, now you're thinking like an Amazonian.

Delete this post before Jeff Bezos sees it

Time for some small-pox in a blanket gifts.