Because they aren’t permanent, full-time employees, they don’t receive workplace benefits like health insurance or retirement contributions.
Coined in news stories in 2009, the term “gig economy” has come to describe the work of individuals whose jobs include a variety of individual projects, consultant roles, and part-time positions. Gig workers don’t receive an annual salary from a single employer, but are paid on a per-project, hourly, or part-time basis instead. Because they aren’t permanent, full-time employees, they don’t receive workplace benefits like health insurance or retirement contributions.