57 Million U.S. Workers Are Part Of The Gig Economy

By TJ McCue

Aug. 31, 2018 | Forbes

More than one third (36 percent) of U.S. workers are in the gig economy, which works out to a very large number of approximately 57 million people.

With the rise of Uber, Lyft, Etsy, Amazon Mechanical Turk, Freelancer.com, Ebay, and others, more and more workers are doing part-time work, side hustles, as they are often called, and are joining the “Gig Economy” as it is more formally known. Essentially, for many, it is when you are between full-time jobs or cannot find a new job after a layoff, or just need more flexibility than a traditional job can provide. So, you go freelance and string together jobs on a short-term, contract basis.

Technology is a big enabler of this mode of freelance work – with a smartphone and one of those ubiquitous unlimited data plans (or a good Starbucks or indie café with fast wifi and a power outlet) – you can work from just about anywhere.  Read the full article.