None
EN
Economic Survey pushes for policy that makes gig work a choice, setting minimum per hour or task earnings
['Siddharth Upasani', 'Siddharth Upasani Is A Deputy Associate Editor With The Indian Express. He Reports Primarily On Data', 'The Economy', 'Looking For Trends', 'Changes In The Former Which Paint A Picture Of The Latter. Before The Indian Express', 'He Worked At Moneycontrol', 'Financial Newswire Informist', 'Previously Called Cogencis . Outside Of Work', 'Sports', 'Fantasy Football']
The Indian Express
As per McKinsey, gig workers fall in four categories: i) free agents (primary income and prefer gig work), ii) casual earners (gig work for supplementary income or skills), iii) reluctants (rely on gig work but prefer regular jobs), and iv) financially strapped (gigs to make ends meet).
Story continues below this ad“Policy should aim to move gig workers from categories ‘iii’ and ‘iv’ to ‘i’ and ‘ii’, making gig work a choice rather than a necessity.
Citing data from the Indian Staffing Federation, the Survey said that about 40% of gig workers report earnings less than Rs 15,000 per month.
The Survey, though, said policy should not only target algorithmic transparency, but also reorganise the “social contract so that gig work benefits workers more fairly”.
It also said policy can reduce the cost gap between regular and gig work by “limiting incentives to avoid mandatory benefits and by setting minimum per-hour or per-task earnings (including waiting time)”.