supplementary work

Survey of Household Economic Decisionmaking (SHED)

ilrweb admin — Fri, 11 May 2018 19:01:27 +0000

Survey of Household Economic Decisionmaking (SHED) ilrweb admin Fri, 05/11/2018 - 15:01

How is it collected?

The SHED, conducted annually since 2013, uses an online consumer research panel recruited based on address-based sampling. In 2024, 12,393 completed the survey, with a cumulative response rate of 4 percent.

Who collects it?

The Federal Reserve, the central bank of the U.S., which maintains an active economic research agenda.

What is it measuring?

The Federal Reserve's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) examines the economic well-being of American households, asking a range of questions about income, work, and spending.

From 2016 to 2021, the survey included a measure of participation in informal income-earning activities, or gig work. In 2022 and 2023, the survey did not ask about gig work directly, but did ask about irregular schedules and autonomy at work. The 2024 survey again asked about gig activities, defined as "activities that people did to earn money but that many people may think of differently than a traditional job." Examples given are selling items such as clothing or handmade crafts; renting property or a vehicle; and doing self-contained short-term tasks such as hanging pictures for someone, delivering takeout, or giving rides to people using an app.

What does it tell us?

In 2024, 20 percent of adults has participated in gig work in the past month. This includes 10 percent who sold things, 2 percent who offered short-term rentals, and 9 percent who performed short-term tasks. Four percent used apps to arrange tasks.

Only 21 percent of people who did gig work said it was their main job. An overwhelming 96 percent typically spent less than 35 hours per week on gig work.

In 2021, 16 percent of adults had participated in gig work in the past month.

Considerations

The questions about gig and informal work on the SHED have been somewhat inconsistent, but it remains a very helpful measure. It avoids jargon and confusing terms for respondents, often using examples, and is likely to catch types of work not reflected in other surveys. Many of the changes over time are rooted in authors' continued attempts to better understand how people think about gig work and respond to questions.

Some types of work typically considered non-standard, such as temp agency or subcontracted work, would not be counted.

How to access this data?

SHED data are publicly available from the Federal Reserve Board.

Study tags

Reports

Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024; 2025; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2022; 2023; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2021; 2022; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2020; 2021; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2019; 2020; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2018; 2019; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2017; 2018; Consumer and Community Development Research Section; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

Exploring Online and Offline Informal Work: Findings from the Enterprising and Informal Work Activities (EIWA) Survey; 2016; Barbara Robles and Marysol McGee; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

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American Opportunity Survey

ilrweb admin — Fri, 11 May 2018 19:00:11 +0000

American Opportunity Survey ilrweb admin Fri, 05/11/2018 - 15:00

How is it collected?

Through an online survey conducted in spring 2022. There were 25,062 respondents, weighted to be more demographically representative.

Who collects it?

McKinsey Global Institute, the business and economics research arm of McKinsey.

What is it measuring?

McKinsey Global Institute's American Opportunity Survey focuses on economic obstacles and opportunities for people in the U.S. This survey asked about people's participation in contract, freelance, temporary, or gig work, along with demographics, outlook, and overall economic position.

What does it tell us?

36 percent of surveyed workers were engaged in contract, freelance, temporary, or gig work in some capacity. These workers tended to be younger and have lower incomes. Nearly half of all immigrants included in the survey were gig workers. Gig workers reported challenges accessing health insurance and basic needs like food, housing, and transportation.

In 2016, MGI conducted a different survey, which found that 27 percent of workers engaged in some form of gig work.

Considerations

Online surveys are not fully representative and may undercount those with lower incomes, less education, without internet access, and who are older, among other characteristics.

How to access this data?

Privately held by McKinsey Global Institute

Study tags

Reports

Independent Work: Choice, Necessity, and the Gig Economy Report; 2016; James Manyika, Susan Lund, Jacques Bughin, Kelsey Robinson, Jan Mischke, Deepa Mahajan; McKinsey Global Institute;

Freelance, Side Hustles, and Gigs; 2022; André Dua, Kweilin Ellingrud, Bryan Hancock, Ryan Luby, Anu Madgavkar, and Sarah Pemberton; McKinsey Global Institute;

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State of Independence in America

ilrweb admin — Fri, 11 May 2018 18:54:15 +0000

State of Independence in America ilrweb admin Fri, 05/11/2018 - 14:54

How is it collected?

Through an online survey administered by Emergent Research and Illuminas, with 6,575 respondents in 2024. Responses were weighted demographically to represent the population. 2024 was the 14th year the State of Independence survey has been administered.

Who collects it?

MBO Partners, a business services company marketed toward independent professionals, contracts Emergent Research and Illuminas to conduct the annual survey. Earlier iterations were contracted to Emergent Research and Rockbridge Associates.

What is it measuring?

The number of workers with "independent arrangements," including consultants, freelancers, contractors, temporary, and on-call workers. It also asks about their experiences and satisfaction.

What does it tell us?

In 2024, 72.7 million adults in America participated in independent arrangements - up only slightly from 72.1 million in 2023 - representing about 43 percent of the workforce both years. The survey reported consistent increases in its measure of independent arrangements from 2011 to 2019, before a considerable decline in 2020, which authors attributed to the pandemic-related disruptions. It has observed growth again from 2020 to 2023, leveling off last year.

Considerations

Online surveys are unlikely to be representative of the population, with educated and higher-income workers likely to be overrepresented. Although many consider full-time to mean 40 hours per week, this survey counts anything above 15 hours per week as full-time.

How to access this data?

Privately held by MBO Partners

Study tags

freelancers

independent contractors

Reports

The State of Independence in America Report; 2024; Emergent Research; MBO Partners;

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Freelance Forward

ilrweb admin — Fri, 11 May 2018 18:51:25 +0000

Freelance Forward ilrweb admin Fri, 05/11/2018 - 14:51

How is it collected?

Through an online survey administered by Edelman Intelligence, with 3,000 total respondents including 1,142 freelancers. The sample was intended to be demographically representative.

Who collects it?

Upwork, an online freelancing platform, commissions Edelman Inteligence to conduct the survey.

This survey was known as Freelancing in America and collected in partnership with Freelancers Union, an advocacy organization for freelance workers, from 2014 to 2019.

What is it measuring?

This survey counts the number of workers who engaged in any supplemental, temporary, project- or contract-based work at any point in the past 12 months. It also asks a wide range of questions about the outlooks, experiences, satisfaction, and challenges of these workers.

What does it tell us?

In 2023, 38 percent of workers engaged in freelance work in some capacity, representing 64 million people. Since the first iteration of the survey in 2014, this has increased modestly from 34 percent.

Considerations

The survey has a particularly broad time frame for engagement in independent work, including any activity that has been done in the past year. It also includes some vague questions, leaving respondents to rely on their own interpretations of terms like "full-time." Online surveys, in addition, are unlikely to be fully representative of the population.

How to access this data?

Privately held by Upwork.

Study tags

benefits

demographics

freelancers

independent contractors