Part-time or gig contract trends with harsh conditions for breaking contract

Hi,

I've only been on my current F-visa for a few years, but previously held one for 3. Previously, I mostly worked camps, but due to my current remote location, have transitioned to more online classes.

A trend I've noticed recently are more aggressive conditions in contracts for both camps and online classes, both of which involve conditions wherein the contracted worker's contract includes stipulations to pay significant amounts of money (damages) to the company in the event that they break the contract, which often include extreme restrictions considering the benefits.

The pay for these jobs tends to be average on an hourly basis, but rather inconsequential to my bottom line (35-45k/hour, but typically only 1-4 hrs/week, or a 3-day camp as examples).

I'm curious what others have experienced/are experiencing and also what your thoughts are about handling these situations prudently...

I'm inclined to believe that such stipulations put the contracting worker at a significant risk, particularly if the company and invidividual have different understandings. Recent examples include pay back 50% of the vaguely termed "lost income" that the company incurs for failing to notify of intent to resign early enough, or in the case of a camp, asking workers to pay the entire camp salary as damages.

While I'm grateful to have opportunities to work, I'm alarmed at what I see as a growing trend of predatory contract practices which place an undue burden on a contracted worker who enjoys 0 benefits outside of hourly pay (which doesn't even factor in lesson planning, admin reports, etc.).

On a personal level, I'm mildly concerned about getting burned, but on a broader level I have reservations about signing contracts that seem to disproportionately empower the contracting employer who already holds the power, and that by signing these contracts I'm perpetuating a system that further exacerbates the power of the company and undermines the rights of workers.

While I'd like to renegotiate to more reasonable terms, and have successfully done so in the past, I've also had instances where negotiation failed and I had to sacrifice the opportunity to avoid putting myself in a precarious situation. Am I being overly cautious? Are these stipulations for part-time/gig contracts new? Are they adversely impacting others?