Gig Economy

There's a lot in the news these days about jobs in the so-called "gig economy" we're experiencing. So many people, it seems, are working as independent contractors now. Uber and Lyft drivers, freelance writers, Amazon delivery drivers, etc. Pretty much every time that I go out, I see the little Uber sticker in a lot of car windows. My sister and I were talking about the explosion of driver services like Uber and Lyft and how they've taken a huge chunk of service from traditional cab companies mainly because the cab companies just fell behind in terms of technology. Street hails may still be the law of the land in places like New York (although that's changing also), but for places outside of New York (Manhattan), trying to get transportation isn't as easy, or it wasn't until services like Uber and Lyft came onto the scene. Aside from providing transportation to folks who need it, these services also enable drivers to be independent contractors and work when they want to. Still, they're not perfect and there are problems with drivers assaulting people. But I don't think the gig economy is going anywhere, especially when people are having such a hard time finding steady work. Gigging seems to fill the gap for those between jobs, working part-time, or people who are just interested in working on a really flexible schedule. But gigging doesn't give you health benefits, there's no retirement plan, and the hours aren't guaranteed. Still, it's better than nothing.