Boomers, Not Millennials, May Be the Most Active Generation in the Gig Economy

The Wonolo job platform found baby boomers earned the most money for short-term jobs, were contracted for the most gigs, and earned the highest ratings, reports the San Jose Mercury News . "I think traditionally, people think of the gig workers as millennials," said Wonolo's Beatrice Pang. "We actually always knew that they are much broader." Pang added that gig work gives older workers a way to earn additional income and can offer a flexible option between full-time employment and total retirement. Nationally, about a third of boomers worked more than three gigs on Wonolo every week versus 22 percent of millennials. "Boomers actually do a lot of physical work like fulfillment warehousing and general labor," Pang noted. However, experts are concerned that a general dearth of benefits like retirement accounts, sick paid leave, or health insurance could put workers at risk. "We need to think about policies that can address that," contended Shelly Steward with the Aspen Institute's Future of Work Initiative.