What is a Freelancer?

More From NOW: Benefits Denied | Freelancers Up Close | What is a Freelancer? | Enterprising Ideas | Feedback Forum | Transcript

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A Living Wage
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Topic Search: Business, Employment, Income

More From NOW: Benefits Denied | Freelancers Up Close | What is a Freelancer? | Enterprising Ideas | Feedback Forum | Transcript

Related Reports Janitor Justice
A Living Wage
Food Fight

Topic Search: Business, Employment, Income

• There are 42 million independent workers in the U.S. They constitute more than 30 percent of the U.S. workforce.
  
  
• While the number of independent workers has risen by nearly 3 million workers over the last decade, their proportion of the workforce has remained steady at 31%.
  
  
• Almost 40% of independent workers surveyed in 2006 lacked health insurance.
  
  
• In 2006, one-third of independent workers were saving less than $1,000 for retirement, half were saving less than $10,000 and two-thirds were saving less than $30,000.
  
  
• In 2006, both public and private employers spent a gross total of about $2.33 trillion for major employee benefit programs. This is up almost 50 percent from 2000.
  
  
• Just 3% of independent workers surveyed in 2006 believe elected officials understand their issues, with only 10 percent saying the media helps educate the public about their fate.
  
  

The Independent Workforce (2005 Data)

U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2006  

• Independent contractors, in 2005, had an average age of 46. The majority were men (65%), had attended or graduated from college, and 8 out of 10 were white, non-Hispanic.
  
  
• The Internal Revenue Service estimated the cost of worker misclassification to the nation in 2006. Their estimate in dollars for tax loss in Social Security tax, unemployment insurance tax, and income tax is $2.72 billion.
  
  
• Union membership in the U.S. has steadily declined during the past 25 years. In 2006, the number of people belonging to unions fell by 326,000 to 15.4 million.
  
  
• The Freelancers Union has more than 50,000 members nationwide. They offer health insurance to individuals and families in more than 30 states, and currently offer health insurance to over 15,000 New Yorkers.
  
  
• In 2000, Microsoft agreed to pay $97 million to settle a class action lawsuit brought by thousands of workers employed as "permalancers."
  
  
• Baby boomers in particular report that they would rather work part-time or on their own terms, rather than work full-time or retire.