Counting and Understanding the Contingent Workforce

Abstract

Contingent workers are a large and increasingly important segment of the US labour force. This paper uses the Contingent Work Supplement of the Current Population Survey to gain some understanding of this workforce and to link that information to larger on-going annual and decennial surveys for sub-national-level estimation and analysis. A typology is developed of the non-standard workforce based on their work arrangement and the industries in which they concentrate; with four types of worker: contingent core, standard workers in contingent industries, non-standard workers in traditional industries, and traditional workers. The state of Georgia is used as an example of a regional economy that has experienced much economic growth in recent years and possibly a surge in contingent workforce as well. Characterising these workers by demographic and economic characteristics demonstrates much diversity across these four groups. Possible policy implications on employment quality and economic development are also discussed.