In the mid-to-late 2010s, it seemed as if the entire world was acknowledging the rise of the independent workforce. In fact, independent work had been around a long while, presenting its own unique challenges to employers and policymakers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of workers who classified themselves as “independent” held rather steady from 1995 to 2001, grew in 2005 and then actually decreased from 2005 to 2017. But the visibility and popularity of platform-based “gig” work made benefits professionals sit up and ask an important question: how can we ensure independent workers have opportunities to access retirement savings?
