Women’s gig economy safety concerns (Independent Era? Roundup – Episode 18)

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Welcome to the Independent Era? Roundup.

The gig economy focused newsletter for business leaders, contractors, and innovators.

Let’s dig in.

1. Women speak out on gig economy safety

(From Jacob Zinkula for Business Insider)

“Safety concerns are among the factors that have made some women hesitate before entering the gig economy.”

In an Insider article, three women Uber and Lyft drivers share strategies for safety in the gig economy. They emphasize driving during the daytime and avoiding controversial topics to feel safer.

The article discusses the prevalence of safety concerns among women drivers, noting the low percentage of female drivers for these companies.

It also highlights the measures these drivers take, like checking customer profiles and declining risky rides, to mitigate dangers they face while working in this sector.

2. The necessity of background checks in the Gig Economy

(Marc Berman For Programming Insider)

“As employers embrace gig workers, they must recognize the need for background checks to ensure their workforce’s safety, security, and trustworthiness.”

The article from Programming Insider emphasizes the importance of conducting background checks in the gig economy. It explains how these checks are crucial for ensuring the safety and security of both employers and customers, especially in a work environment where freelancers and independent contractors are common.?

Marc covers various types of background checks, including driving record screenings, criminal background checks, social media screening, and drug testing. It also highlights the legal aspects and the use of technology-based solutions to streamline the background check process. This approach is essential for maintaining a secure and trustworthy gig economy.

3. Free tax assessment for all

(Brought to you by Keeper)

“Today’s generation of freelancers are either unaware of, or flabbergasted by, such laborious expectations.”

Did you know about the significant tax challenges faced by freelancers in the US??

A group that includes about 40 million people often classified as gig workers, business owners, or self-employed.?

These individuals frequently overpay on taxes due to a complex system that includes a flat self-employment tax and surprise tax bills. Many freelancers fail to claim deductible business expenses, partly because of the high costs and complexities of traditional tax filing software.?

Gig Wage partner, Keeper, addresses this issue by offering a solution that simplifies expense tracking and tax filing, helping freelancers claim deductions and potentially saving them money.?

For business leaders who use freelancers, understanding these challenges is crucial for empathizing with their freelance workforce and possibly providing support in navigating these tax complexities.

4. Freelance is the future

(From Upwork Research Institute)

“Work looks significantly different than it did just a decade ago. A lot has changed with fluctuating economic conditions, a global pandemic, and revolutionary new technology. One constant, however, is in the vital role that freelancing plays in the U.S. workforce.”

The Upwork Research Institute's 2023 Freelance Forward survey highlights the significant role freelancing plays in the U.S. workforce. Notably, 38% of the U.S. workforce, or 64 million Americans, engaged in freelance work in the past year, marking an increase of 4 million professionals from the previous year.?

Freelancers contributed about $1.27 trillion in annual earnings to the U.S. economy. The growth in freelancing is attributed to professionals seeking more flexible, autonomous career paths.

Key findings include a high usage of generative AI among freelancers, a large proportion providing knowledge services, a significant number creating influencer-style content, and a strong inclination toward freelancing among Gen Z and Millennials.?

Overall, freelancers view the future of freelancing positively.

5. Checkr joins gig payments party

(From Jonathan Keane for Forbes)

“Instead of having disjointed systems across multiple different pieces of software, we can bring them all into one place and have the flow be streamlined.”

A warm Gig Wage welcome to Checkr, a HR tech platform known for worker background checks, has expanded into payments and onboarding, as reported by Forbes. Checkr's new products, Pay and Onboard, integrate with customer companies for worker onboarding and payments, allowing for instant payments through a single platform.?

Chris Hollindale, head of Checkr Pay, emphasizes the goal of being a central HR system. Checkr Pay, currently US-only, involves a partnership with Thread Bank and earns fees from payment processing and debit card usage.

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Each episode, we share the things you absolutely need to know about the gig economy and modern talent—from industry news and media analysis to labor trends and customer insights—you’ll learn why the gig economy is transforming work culture. You can also find this feed on the Gig Wage blog.

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