Facts and Figures on Contingent Workers Instead of a full-time job with a single employer, many workers are opting for more flexible arrangements that give them an opportunity to have work schedules that match their lifestyle, perform work for a variety of companies, and gives them more freedom to choose for whom they work. At the same time, independent contractors and free agents, some of whom find work through such mechanisms as digital exchanges, generally are paid more and have a higher level of work satisfaction than full-time, permanent employees.
Alternative arrangements are one reason the unemployment rate has been declining.
Last fall, for example, The Washington Post editorialized that the ability of staffing firms to match worker skills to available jobs is partially responsible for reducing the unemployment rate to record levels. Despite the benefits that these alternative arrangements provide, representations from unions and interest groups often attempt to make it appear as if these individuals belong to a lower class of workers that cannot find full-time permanent jobs and are denied benefits. This is generally not the case. Despite the analysis and recommendations in a new U.S. General Accounting Office report, the flexibility generated by alternative work arrangements benefits both workers and companies.