The pandemic recovery is winding down, and the Fed is trying to curb economic growth to fight inflation.
Gig workers are an increasingly important part of the workforce — though their wage and employment numbers aren’t counted in the Labor Department’s survey of traditional employers. How are they faring in this rapidly changing economy?
Early in the pandemic, everything from ride-sharing to musical productions shut down, along with the rest of the economy. Even so, it hasn’t been too bad a time to be a gig worker, freelancer or independent contractor, said UNC sociologist Alexandrea Ravenelle.
To start with, for the first time ever, government provided generous unemployment benefits that non-traditional workers usually aren’t eligible for.
“For some gig workers it was life-changing. It bought them time to stop hustling, to save some money for a change, and think about what they wanted to do in their lives,” Ravenelle said.
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