- Nearly 1 in 3 current or recent
gig workers say it has been their main job this past year, Pew says. - Nearly 60% of gig workers said income from these jobs has been key for meeting their basic needs.
A new research report illustrates just how much many people rely on $4 as their main source of income, not just as a $4, as it is often branded.
Thirty-one percent of current or recent gig workers, or 3% of US adults overall, said the work they did for gig platforms was their main job in the past year, according to a new
More than 10,000 US adults participated in the survey.
Among current or recent gig workers with lower incomes, 42% said gig work was their main job this past year. This represents 7% of all adults with lower incomes, the report said. Pew defined current or recent gig workers as $4 in the last 12 months.
The report also included other findings that show how important gig work is to many people's livelihoods. Fifty-eight percent of people who worked on online gig platforms in the last 12 months said the money was essential or important for meeting their basic needs. Thirty-nine percent considered the money nice to have but not necessary.
The research also found that, on the whole, gig workers see their experiences earning money through these platforms in a positive light in most areas, except benefits. While roughly two-thirds of current or recent gig workers consider these companies fair in terms of pay, $4. More than one-third of people who had ever done gig work reported sometimes or often feeling unsafe while on the job, and $4.