word collage about gig jobs Twenty percent of gig workers are over 55, and for independent contractors, it’s even higher, at 30 percent. (Photo: Shutterstock)

The gig economy continues to grow, both for highly skilled, mostly older independent contractors and younger, less-skilled seasonal workers, according to the report, “Illuminating the Shadow Workforce: Insights into the Gig Workforce in Businesses,” by the ADP Research Institute.

For both types, one in six workers at any given company is a gig worker–and for about 40 percent of companies, that ratio increases to one in four workers, the study found. Use of gig work is growing: from 2010 to 2019, the share of gig workers at companies has increased from 14.2 percent to 16.4 percent, a 2.2 percentage point increase, or 15 percent. Both groups of gig workers, short-term W-2 employees as well as 1099-MISC independent contractors, contributed equally in this growth.

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Katie Kuehner-Hebert

Katie Kuehner-Hebert is a freelance writer based in Running Springs, Calif. She has more than three decades of journalism experience, with particular expertise in employee benefits and other human resource topics.

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