In this episode of Hardly Working, I speak with Liya Palagashvili, Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University as she walks us through her professional journey and research into nontraditional workers. Also known as independent workers, nontraditional workers can be defined as workers who make income outside of traditional employment and who are legally classified as independent contractors or self-employed. She describes different aspects of this rapidly expanding sector of the economy and what its future could be. Our conversation also explores what Palagashvili calls the two policy buckets often used to address challenges for independent workers and their possible repercussions.

Mentioned in the Episode

The Rise of the Creative Class

The Gig Economy

Form 1099-MISC

Etsy

AB-5 Worker status: employees and independent contractors

California Proposition 22

Department of Labor regulatory guidance on worker classification rules

Employee Classification Tests.

Utah Portable Benefit Plan