‘Gig Economy’ Spreads

Newsweek nods to Tina Brown’s recent column with an online piece on “the gig economy.” Some 2.5 million jobs have disappeared over the past 13 months; combine that with outsourcing and a lack of corporate loyalty, and you get “gigonomics.” The trend has spread from journalists and musicians, no strangers to freelancing, to professions less known for their creativity: finance, law, and human resources. And the new members of the “gig” class aren’t choosing the lifestyle for the freedom; they’re being forced into it by bosses who don’t want to pay for health insurance and other benefits.