Economics
Why the Gig Economy Isn't Showing Up in Data
- Surveys might be asking the wrong questions, research suggests
- Wrap also looks at wage growth, labor share and climate change
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When the U.S. Labor Department released its contingent-worker survey in 2018 following a more than 10-year hiatus, it was keenly watched by economists and journalists alike. It would be the first numerical glimpse of America’s non-traditional work arrangements since companies including Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. burst onto the scene.
To the surprise of many onlookers, the pool of contingent workers had actually shrunk.