Introduction
Dog walker John Aron has his hands full in Denver's Park Hill neighborhood. Today's gig economy offers a lifeline to laid-off workers who must take whatever part-time jobs they can find, while other independent workers like the freedom of being their own boss. (Getty Images/The Denver Post/Kathryn Scott Osler)
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Enabled by the digital revolution, employers increasingly are outsourcing work to contractors and self-employed or part-time workers, many working off-site thanks to apps and Wi-Fi. Supporters of the so-called gig economy say it gives workers flexibility and freedom to work anytime and anywhere and allows struggling companies to survive and healthy firms to compete globally. But labor unions say outsourcing exploits workers and undermines the economy by allowing companies to replace full-time employees with lower-paid workers without guaranteed hours, income or benefits. And millions of laid-off workers must cobble together multiple jobs as independent contractors. On-demand gig workers, such as Uber drivers, are protesting their lack of benefits, while Uber lobbies local and state governments to exempt it from “old economy” wage and labor laws. Recently, however, some employers have begun hiring full-time employees with full benefits again, largely because of the high turnover rates and recruitment costs associated with the gig economy.
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Mar. 06, 2020 |
Universal Basic Income |
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Mar. 18, 2016 |
The Gig Economy |
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Mar. 06, 2012 |
Youth Unemployment |
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Jul. 31, 2009 |
Straining the Safety Net |
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Apr. 10, 2009 |
Business Bankruptcy |
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Mar. 13, 2009 |
Vanishing Jobs |
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Apr. 25, 2003 |
Unemployment Benefits |
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Jan. 21, 1994 |
Worker Retraining |
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Sep. 09, 1988 |
Help Wanted: Why Jobs Are Hard to Fill |
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Mar. 18, 1983 |
The Youth Unemployment Puzzle |
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Dec. 24, 1982 |
Federal Jobs Programs |
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May 28, 1982 |
America's Employment Outlook |
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Jun. 27, 1980 |
Unemployment Compensation |
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Oct. 14, 1977 |
Youth Unemployment |
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Jul. 11, 1975 |
Underemployment in America |
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Dec. 16, 1970 |
Unemployment in Recessions |
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Mar. 05, 1965 |
Unemployment Benefits in Times of Prosperity |
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Apr. 03, 1964 |
Overtime Pay Rates and Unemployment |
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Feb. 01, 1961 |
Unemployment and New Jobs |
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Jan. 07, 1959 |
Lag in Employment |
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Apr. 16, 1958 |
Emergency Jobless Aid |
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May 16, 1956 |
Lay-Off Pay Plans |
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Nov. 12, 1953 |
Jobless Compensation in Boom and Recession |
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Feb. 25, 1949 |
Defenses Against Unemployment |
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Jul. 30, 1945 |
Full Employment |
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Nov. 25, 1940 |
Unemployment Compensation |
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Jul. 10, 1939 |
Problem of the Migrant Unemployed |
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May 19, 1936 |
Unemployment and Recovery |
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Sep. 02, 1931 |
Public Employment Exchanges |
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Aug. 19, 1929 |
The Stabilization of Employment |
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Feb. 21, 1928 |
The Employment Situation in the United States |
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Jan. 23, 1926 |
Unemployment Insurance in the United States |
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