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  4. May 2020
  5. Is New Platform Work Different from Other Freelancing?

Is New Platform Work Different from Other Freelancing?

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Abstract

The rise of freelance work in the online platform economy (OPE) has received considerable media and policy attention in recent years, but freelance work is by no means a new phenomenon. In this paper, we draw on IRS tax records to identify instances when workers begin doing online platform work versus other freelance/independent contractor "gig" work for firms. We find gig work occurs around major reductions in outside income and document usage over the lifecycle. Our results provide suggestive evidence on motivations for entering into each type of work.

Citation

Garin, Andrew, Emilie Jackson, Dmitri K. Koustas, and Carl McPherson. 2020. "Is New Platform Work Different from Other Freelancing?" AEA Papers and Proceedings, 110: 157-61. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20201039

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D15 Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
  • J22 Time Allocation and Labor Supply
  • J46 Informal Labor Markets