The Gig Economy is Actually Smaller Than It Used To Be, Labor Department Says (marketwatch.com)

The so-called gig economy is actually slightly smaller than it used to be, according to a new Labor Department report released Thursday that chronicles the jobs market in the age of Uber. From a report: In May 2017, the Labor Department counted 5.9 million people, or 3.8% of workers, in what it calls contingent jobs, which are those that the workers don't expect to last or that workers call temporary. In 2005, the last time the government looked into the issue, there were 4.1% of workers who classified themselves this way. "Taken at face value, the results indicate that the role of non-traditional work arrangements in the U.S. economy has remained largely unchanged during the past 20 years, even as excitement and media coverage of the growth of the 'gig economy' has increased," said Brian Schaitkin, senior economist for The Conference Board.

Comments

Re:So it's a lie

[Anonymous Coward]

64% of the work-age population is working. I am one of the 36% but not included in the unemployment statistics.

I am a caucasian male with a computer engineering degree and a couple of decades of experience who had to leave the field for a few years. When I tried to return, age discrimination kept me from getting into a job even though I was willing to start at the bottom. I now do odd jobs related to my field off-the-books.

Re:My 0.02

[JaredOfEuropa]

What is relatively new though, at least as far as I can see around me in Europe, is that an increasing number of formerly semi-permanent jobs are being turned into gigs. Employers are basically saying: "We need you to quit and come back as a freelancer." Not that long ago this often was a pretty sweet deal especially for white collar workers, but what they are really saying these days is: "We want you to become a freelancer, working at shit rates which will leave you with as much cash in your pocket as you used to get from us, but without us having to pay for a pension, insurance, training or an income between assignments." An especially attractive proposition for employers in countries like mine, where employers' dues (national insurances and pension) are around 30% on top of gross wages.