The government reported Thursday that there are fewer independent contractors working in the U.S. than in the past, suggesting that the surmised “gig economy” of more and more people working as freelancers may not be as big a factor in the economy as thought.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday morning that 10.6 million people worked as independent contractors in May of 2017, or about 6.9 percent of total employment.
That share is down from the last time the survey was conducted. In February 2005, 7.4 percent of workers were independent contractors.
The statistics come from the bureau’s report on contingent and alternative work arrangements, based on a survey that hasn’t been conducted in years. The report suggests that all forms of such work are rarer now than in 2005.
Nevertheless, it also includes a few major caveats. One is that the 2017 survey was conducted at a different time of year than past versions. Seasonal fluctuations could make the results hard to compare.
Also, the agency asked new questions specifically related to companies like Uber or Lyft that arrange connections between service providers and customers, but didn’t release the results in Thursday’s report because it is still evaluating them. They said to expect the results by September.
This post has been updated to clarify the survey results.
