How Big is the Gig? The Extensive Margin, The Intensive Margin, and The Hidden Margin

Anat Bracha; Mary A. Burke

doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2021.101974

How Big is the Gig? The Extensive Margin, The Intensive Margin, and The Hidden Margin

Anat Bracha, Mary A. Burke

Business Administration

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper presents survey measures of informal "gig" work in the United States along both the extensive and intensive margins. Focusing on labor-intensive activities, the total amount of gig work performed by U.S. household heads in 2015 was equivalent to 3.77 million full-time jobs, of which 20 percent came from online work. We also find that this nonstandard work is partly hidden: over 15 percent of non-retired gig workers would get classified as not in the labor force, 5 percent would get classified as unemployed, and the full-time employment rate would increase significantly if informal hours are fully counted.

Original language	American English
Article number	101974
Journal	Labour Economics
Volume	69
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2021.101974
State	Published - Apr 2021

Keywords

Current Population Survey
Employment statistics
Gig economy
Hours
Informal work
Intensive margin

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Economics and Econometrics
Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Access to Document

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2021.101974

Cite this

@article{c1f7adf2f0134a42940ed8dcc73a2af0,

title = "How Big is the Gig? The Extensive Margin, The Intensive Margin, and The Hidden Margin",

abstract = "This paper presents survey measures of informal {"}gig{"} work in the United States along both the extensive and intensive margins. Focusing on labor-intensive activities, the total amount of gig work performed by U.S. household heads in 2015 was equivalent to 3.77 million full-time jobs, of which 20 percent came from online work. We also find that this nonstandard work is partly hidden: over 15 percent of non-retired gig workers would get classified as not in the labor force, 5 percent would get classified as unemployed, and the full-time employment rate would increase significantly if informal hours are fully counted.",

keywords = "Current Population Survey, Employment statistics, Gig economy, Hours, Informal work, Intensive margin",

author = "Anat Bracha and Burke, {Mary A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

doi = "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2021.101974",

language = "American English",

volume = "69",

journal = "Labour Economics",

issn = "0927-5371",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - How Big is the Gig? The Extensive Margin, The Intensive Margin, and The Hidden Margin

AU - Bracha, Anat

AU - Burke, Mary A.

PY - 2021/4

Y1 - 2021/4

N2 - This paper presents survey measures of informal "gig" work in the United States along both the extensive and intensive margins. Focusing on labor-intensive activities, the total amount of gig work performed by U.S. household heads in 2015 was equivalent to 3.77 million full-time jobs, of which 20 percent came from online work. We also find that this nonstandard work is partly hidden: over 15 percent of non-retired gig workers would get classified as not in the labor force, 5 percent would get classified as unemployed, and the full-time employment rate would increase significantly if informal hours are fully counted.

AB - This paper presents survey measures of informal "gig" work in the United States along both the extensive and intensive margins. Focusing on labor-intensive activities, the total amount of gig work performed by U.S. household heads in 2015 was equivalent to 3.77 million full-time jobs, of which 20 percent came from online work. We also find that this nonstandard work is partly hidden: over 15 percent of non-retired gig workers would get classified as not in the labor force, 5 percent would get classified as unemployed, and the full-time employment rate would increase significantly if informal hours are fully counted.

KW - Current Population Survey

KW - Employment statistics

KW - Gig economy

KW - Hours

KW - Informal work

KW - Intensive margin

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101883228&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2021.101974

DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2021.101974

M3 - Article

SN - 0927-5371

VL - 69

JO - Labour Economics

JF - Labour Economics

M1 - 101974

ER -

How Big is the Gig? The Extensive Margin, The Intensive Margin, and The Hidden Margin

Abstract

Keywords

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this