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72-446: Freelance (sometimes spelled free-lance or free lance ), freelancer , or freelance worker , are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance workers are sometimes represented by a company or a temporary agency that resells freelance labor to clients; others work independently or use professional associations or websites to get work. While

144-586: A "rapid growth" in self-employment between 2001 (3.3 million people, or 12% of the workforce) and 2017 (4.8 million people, or 15.1% of the workforce, with London, Yorkshire and the Humber and the South East regions exhibiting the greatest rates of increase. Many people living with disabilities choose to be self-employed. Self-employment, while popular, does come with several legal responsibilities. When remote working , clearance may sometimes be required from

216-478: A 2016 study by the McKinsey Global Institute, 15% of independent workers used online marketplaces to find work. These marketplaces, including Fiverr and Lyft , have been criticized as exploiting workers. Many periodicals and newspapers offer the option of ghost signing, when a freelance writer signs with an editor but their name is not listed on the byline of their article(s). This allows

288-551: A Massachusetts law states that companies can hire independent contractors only to perform work that is "outside the usual course of business of the employer," meaning workers working on the company's core business must be classified as employees. According to this statute, a software engineering firm cannot outsource work to a software engineering consultant, without hiring the consultant as an employee. The firm could, however, hire an independent contractor working as an electrician, interior decorator, or painter. This raises questions about

360-865: A clear national definition of self-employment increases the risk of false self-employment" and the European Parliament Resolution on the Renewed Social Agenda invites Member States to take initiatives that would "lead to a clear distinction between employers, genuine self-employed and small entrepreneurs on the one hand and employees on the other". Self-employment is mostly regulated at national level only. Each authority and individual body applies its own legal and regulatory framework provisions, which may vary depending on their remit or policy area (tax law, social security, business law, employment market, insurance). The provisions related to self-employment vary therefore widely between

432-626: A flexible basis in a range of creative, managerial, scientific and technical occupations; they are not a homogeneous group and as such, they cannot be considered or investigated as a whole. They are generally characterised by a large portion of autonomy, a high labour productivity, knowledge intensive performance, social commitment and a large dose of entrepreneurship and specialisation. In the U.S. in 2009, federal and state agencies began increasing their oversight of freelancers and other workers whom employers classify as independent contractors . The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended that

504-483: A form of gender pay gap . The Professional Writers Association of Canada report showed no significant difference between the earnings of male and female freelancers, though part-time freelancers generally earned less than full-time freelancers. Remote work is often cited as an attractive feature of freelancing, yet research suggests that it introduces new sets of constraints for the process of doing work, particularly for married women with families, who continue to bear

576-556: A formal employment contract. Schijnzelfstandigheid can lead to legal issues, as it is considered an abuse of labor laws designed to protect workers. In recent years, many countries, including the Netherlands, have tightened regulations to prevent and address this problem, seeking to ensure that workers who should be classified as employees are not wrongly treated as independent contractors. The European Parliament Resolution on Social Protection for All has stated that: "the absence of

648-445: A gainful activity for their own account, under the conditions laid down by national law". In the exercise of such an activity, the personal element is of special importance and such exercise always involves a large measure of independence in the accomplishment of the professional activities. This definition comes from Directive 2010/41/EU on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in

720-534: A large measure of independence in the accomplishment of the professional activities. This definition comes from Directive (2010/41/EU) on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity. The European Forum of Independent Professionals defines freelancers as: "a highly-skilled subset of self-employed workers, without employers nor employees, offering specialised services of an intellectual and knowledge-based nature". Independent professionals work on

792-472: A member of a partnership , or as a member of a limited liability company that does not elect to be treated as a corporation. In addition to income taxes, these individuals must pay Social Security and Medicare taxes in the form of a SECA (Self-Employment Contributions Act) tax. In 2016, the median income for individuals self-employed at their own incorporated businesses was $ 50,347. For individuals self-employed at their own unincorporated firms, this figure

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864-619: A profile where they include a description of the services they offer, examples of their work, and, in some cases, information about their rates. Buyers register and complete a basic profile, and then post projects outlining their requirements. Buyers will then bid for these projects on a fixed price or hourly basis. Many of these websites have user review sections that affect the reputation of freelancers who list there, and which may be manipulated. Freelance marketplaces have globalized competition for some jobs, allowing workers in high- and low-income countries to compete with one another. According to

936-418: A relationship with a publication. Some freelancers may provide written estimates of work and request deposits from clients. Payment for freelance work also depends on industry, skills, experience and location. Freelancers may charge by the day, hour, a piece rate, or on a per-project basis. Instead of a flat rate or fee, some freelancers have adopted a value-based pricing method based on the perceived value of

1008-592: A self-employed capacity. This is in contrast to an employee, who is subordinate to and dependent on an employer. In addition, Article 53 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provides for the free movement of those taking up and pursuing activities as self-employed people. It stipulates: "In order to make it easier for persons to take up and pursue activities as self-employed persons,

1080-453: A specific time-frame. On blind tests run by clients, Aberdeen’s models achieved 91% accuracy in predicting purchase intent. Business classifications in sector study reports range from "best performers" to "laggards". In April 2019, Aberdeen announced 'Aberdeen Intent for Salesforce', a tool that works with Salesforce to improve sales. The Aberdeen Group has conducted several surveys that have been used by multiple media outlets: Some of

1152-510: A staff journalist of similar age and experience level working full-time at outlets such as the Ottawa Citizen or Montreal Gazette newspapers, earned at least $ 63,500 Canadian dollars that year, the top scale rate negotiated by the union, The Newspaper Guild -Communications Workers of America. Given the gendered stratification of journalism, with more women working as freelancers than men, this disparity in income can be interpreted as

1224-545: A total of 13.3%. This rate will continue for income earned in calendar year 2012, due to the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 . Self-employed persons sometimes declare more deductions than an ordinary employee. Travel, uniforms, computer equipment, cell phones, etc., can be deducted as legitimate business expenses. Self-employed persons report their business income or loss on Schedule C of IRS Form 1040 and calculate

1296-500: A wide segment of the U.S. economy. Furthermore, industries that are not commonly associated as a natural fit for self-employment, such as manufacturing, have in fact been shown to have a large proportion of self-employed individuals and home-based businesses. In the United States , any person is considered self-employed for tax purposes if that person is running a business as a sole proprietorship , independent contractor , as

1368-496: A work's copyright arises when its author produces it on behalf of a client. The matter is governed by copyright law, which varies by country. The default ownership lies with the client in some countries and with the freelancing author in others. The degree to which either moral or economic ownership of a work for hire may be modified contractually varies by country. A 2018 McKinsey study found that up to 162 million people in Europe and

1440-556: Is also a vehicle called the Self-Employed 401k (or SE 401(k)) for self-employed people. The contribution limits vary slightly depending on how the business is organized. A defined-benefit plan is a third option that has high contribution limits and acts like a traditional pension plan. Sole proprietors can also opt for a SIMPLE IRA, which allows them to contribute to employee retirement plans as well as their own retirement plan. Research has shown that levels of self-employment in

1512-650: Is also inexact; however, figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the proportion of remote workers rose from 9.2% in 2001 to 10.7% in 2011. It has been estimated, however, that there are approximately 1.7 million freelancers in the UK. Freelancing is a gendered form of work. The 2012 Freelance Industry Report estimated that more than 71% of freelancers are women between the ages of 30 and 50. Surveys of other specific areas of freelancing have similar trends. Demographic research on Amazon Mechanical Turk revealed that

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1584-563: Is also possible for someone to form a business that is run only part-time or concurrently while holding down a full-time job. According to a 2016 study by the McKinsey Global Institute, there are 14 million "independent workers" in the United Kingdom , although the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee reported in 2017 that 5 million people, 15% of the workforce, were self-employed. The Office for National Statistics referred to

1656-449: Is an additional Medicare tax rate of 0.9% when a self-employed individual earns above $ 200,000 (single). Generally, only 92.35% of the self-employment income is taxable at the above rates. Additionally, half of the self-employment tax, i.e., the employer-equivalent portion, is allowed as a deduction against income. The 2010 Tax Relief Act reduced the self-employment tax by 2% for self-employment income earned in calendar year 2011, for

1728-1000: Is based in Waltham, Massachusetts , United States , with an additional US office location in Wilton, CT , as well as three European offices in Versailles ( France ), Madrid ( Spain ), and Chertsey ( United Kingdom ). Aberdeen was originally founded in 1988 to use enterprise data to help businesses make business decisions by using data governance. Aberdeen has since been acquired by two different companies: Harte Hanks in September 2006 and later Halyard Capital in April 2015. The company initially provided technology industry data and predictive analytics for B2B marketers and sales teams, but as of 2018, provides targeted intent data for marketing and sales.     From 2016 to 2018

1800-637: Is carried out in addition to paid employment (e.g. Belgium)". “Schijnzelfstandigheid” is a Dutch term that refers to false self-employment or bogus self-employment . It occurs when a person is officially classified as a freelancer or self-employed worker but, in practice, works as a regular employee under the same conditions, without the rights or benefits of an employee, such as paid leave, social security, or protection against dismissal. This situation often arises when employers try to avoid taxes, social security contributions, or labor regulations by hiring workers as independent contractors instead of offering them

1872-568: Is commonly attributed to Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) in Ivanhoe (1820) to describe a "medieval mercenary warrior" or "free- lance " (indicating that the lance is not sworn to any lord's services, not that the lance is available free of charge). It changed to a figurative noun around the 1860s and was recognized as a verb in 1903 by authorities in etymology such as the Oxford English Dictionary . Only in modern times has

1944-486: Is roughly the equivalent of the combined contributions of the employee and employer under the FICA tax . The rate consists of two parts: 12.4% for social security and 2.9% for Medicare . The Social Security portion of the self-employment tax only applies to the first $ 132,900 of income for the 2019 tax year. There is no limit to the amount that is taxable under the 2.9% Medicare portion of the self-employment tax. In fact, there

2016-571: Is true. While most freelancers have at least ten years of experience prior to working independently, experienced freelancers do not always earn an income equal to that of full-time employment. Feedback from members suggests that web portals such as Freelancer.com tend to attract low-paying clients that, although demanding very high standards, pay ~$ 10 per hour or less. Low-cost suppliers frequently offer to work at rates as low as $ 1–$ 2 per hour. Because most projects require bidding, professionals will not bid because they refuse to work at such rates. This has

2088-537: The Freelancers Union estimated that 1 in 3 workers in the United States was self-employed (approximately 42 million), with more than four million (43%) of those self-employed workers as members of the creative class , a stratum of work specifically associated with freelance industries, such as knowledge workers, technologists, professional writers, artists, entertainers, and media workers. In 2016,

2160-458: The cognitive-cultural economy . According to the 2012 Freelance Industry Report compiled primarily about North America freelancing, nearly half of freelancers do writing work, with 18% of freelancers listing writing as a primary skill, 10% editing/copy-editing, and 10% as copy-writing. 20% of freelancers listed their primary skills as design. Next on the list was translating (8%), web development (5.5%), and marketing (4%). In 2018, freelancing

2232-436: The 2012 Freelance Industry Report reported that men and women freelance for different reasons. Female survey respondents indicated that they prefer the scheduling freedom and flexibility that freelancing offers, while male survey respondents indicated they freelance to follow or pursue personal passions. Freelancing also enables people to obtain higher levels of employment in isolated communities. The ability to pick and choose who

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2304-560: The Council shall… issue Directives for the mutual recognition of diplomas, certificates and other evidence of formal qualifications". The self-employment form of work does not group homogenous workers. As indicated by the European Commission in 2010, there are "different understandings and definitions of the term self-employment across the countries, with a number of different subcategories defined: for instance, according to

2376-581: The EU, employers', employees' and self-employment representatives should adopt a Europe-wide joint recognition of genuine self-employment and a common definition that includes a shared terminology for the various sectors. A self-employed person in the United Kingdom can operate as a sole trader or as a partner in a partnership (including a limited liability partnership or "LLP") but not through an incorporated limited (or unlimited ) liability company. It

2448-470: The Freelancers Union estimated that 35% of the workforce in the United States was self-employed (approximately 55 million). This workforce earned an estimated $ 1 trillion from freelancing in 2016—a significant share of the U.S. economy. In 2017, a study by MBO Partners estimated the total number of self-employed Americans aged 21 and above to be 40.9 million. The total number of freelancers in UK

2520-825: The Group partnered with Bombora, a provider of B2B demographic and intent-based data. On October 30, 2017, Marc Osofsky became Aberdeen’s chief executive officer and a member of the board of managers; Gary Skidmore became the chairman of Aberdeen. On October 30, 2017, Marc Osofsky became Aberdeen’s chief executive officer and a member of the board of managers; Gary Skidmore became the chairman of Aberdeen. In December 2018, Aberdeen acquired The Big Willow, an intent data provider. The Big Willow gathers its data in part by tracking 3.7 billion device IDs across over 12 billion web pages. The acquisition allowed Aberdeen to enhance its intent data offerings by being able to provide specific company locations and target contact titles. As part of

2592-582: The Internet to provide economical access to remote workers, and frequently leverage technology to manage workflow to and from the employer. Much computer freelance work is being outsourced to developing countries outside the United States and Europe. International freelancers use their skills in English to enable greater pay and flexibility in their work. Freelance marketplaces provide a marketplace for freelancers and buyers. Service providers or sellers create

2664-484: The Secretary of Labor have its Wage and Hour Division "focus on misclassification of employees as independent contractors during targeted investigations." The increased regulation is meant to ensure workers are treated fairly and that companies are not misclassifying workers as independent contractors to avoid paying appropriate employment taxes and contributions to workers' compensation and unemployment compensation. At

2736-446: The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis , the absolute number of people registered as non-farm proprietors (NFPs) or self-employed in metropolitan counties grew by 244% between 1969 and 2006, and by 93% in non-metropolitan counties. In relative terms, the share of self-employed within the labor force grew from 14% in 1969 to 21% in 2006 in metropolitan counties, and from 11% to 19% in non-metropolitan counties. In non-metropolitan counties,

2808-538: The United States and the United Kingdom, the authorities are placing more emphasis on clarifying whether an individual is self-employed or engaged in disguised employment, in other words pretending to be in a contractual intra-business relationship to hide what is in fact an employer-employee relationship. Self-employment provides work primarily for the founder of the business. The term entrepreneurship refers to all new businesses, including self-employment and businesses that never intend to grow big or become registered, but

2880-556: The United States are increasing, and that under certain circumstances this can have positive effects on per capita income and job creation. According to a 2017 study by MBO Partners, the self-employed workforce generates $ 1.2 trillion in revenue for the U.S. economy, which is equal to about 6% of national GDP. A 2011 study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and Pennsylvania State University looked at U.S. self-employment levels from 1970 to 2000. According to data from

2952-470: The United States engage in some form of independent work. It represents 20-30 percent of the entire working age population. The total number of freelancers in USA is inexact, as of 2013, the most recent governmental report on independent contractors was published in 2005 by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics . At that time, there were approximately 10.3 million United States workers (7.4% of

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3024-401: The United States is stratified across racial lines. In general, self-employment is more common among immigrants than their second-generation children born in the United States. However, the second-generation children of Asian immigrants may continue to seek self-employment in a variety of industries and occupations. The self-employment tax in the United States is typically set at 15.30%, which

3096-579: The acquisition, The Big Willow CEO Charlie Tarzian became President and Chief Innovation Officer at Aberdeen, and The Big Willow COO Keith Blackwell became COO of Aberdeen. On November 24,2020, Spiceworks Ziff-Davis acquired Aberdeen Group. Aberdeen’s method combines online interactions (topic, keywords, PageURL, and Opt-in) with targeting data (company, location, contacts), and first-party visitor intelligence and win/loss history. Aberdeen has databases of opt-in users who have explicitly said that they are looking for certain technology and want to purchase in

3168-993: The brunt of household chores and childcare despite increases in their paid work time. For instance, three years of ethnographic research about teleworkers in Australia conducted by Melissa Gregg, a Principal Engineer and Researcher in Residence for the Intel Science and Technology Center for Social Computing at UC Irvine , raises concerns over how both physical isolation and continuous access enabled with networked digital media puts pressure on homeworkers to demonstrate their commitments through continual responses by email and to conceal their family or home life. The Internet has opened up many freelance opportunities, expanded available markets, and has contributed to service sector growth in many economies. Offshore outsourcing , online outsourcing and crowdsourcing are heavily reliant on

3240-561: The case was eventually settled for the benefit of freelance writers whether or not they had registered their copyright with the Copyright Office. Copyright is rescinded only when a freelancer signs a contract specifying that they are " working for hire ," or if they are hired into employment. These rights are further specified in U.S. copyright law, Section 101 in the Copyright Act of 1976 (17 USC §101). The term freelancer

3312-404: The common practice of consulting, because a company would typically hire a management consulting firm or self-employed consultant to address business-specific needs that are not "outside the usual course of business of the employer." In the United States, where the federal constitution automatically grants ownership of the copyright only to the author, the contract agreement must explicitly use

3384-638: The countries. As indicated by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) in 2014, the diversity of the self-employed has attracted diverse forms of regulation, mainly decided at national level: "EU employment law addresses the self-employed mainly in narrowly specific areas such as free movement and equal treatment". As recommended by the European Forum of Independent Professionals (EFIP),

3456-536: The data Aberdeen collects and analyzes is available via different reports. One of Aberdeen’s reports, The Impact of Video Marketing , showed that marketers that used video content to engage potential customers grew their companies’ revenue 49% faster year-over-year than companies without video content. A further report, Understanding the Expanding Benefits of Marketing with Video, reported that video marketers get 66% more qualified leads per year and achieve

3528-555: The effect of reducing the overall quality of the services provided. According to research conducted in 2005 by the Professional Writers Association of Canada on Canadian journalists and editors, there is a wage gap between staff and freelance journalists. While the typical Canadian full-time freelancer is female, between 35 and 55, holding a college diploma and often a graduate degree, she typically earns about $ 29,999 Canadian dollars before taxes. Meanwhile,

3600-463: The freelancer works with is another benefit. The freelancer interviews a potential client and they get to pick whether or not to work with that individual or company. Freelancing is also taken up by workers who have been laid-off, who cannot find full-time employment, or for those industries such as journalism which are relying increasingly on contingent labor rather than full-time staff. Freelancers also consist of students trying to make ends meet during

3672-411: The gap could be due to underreporting of income by the self-employed. Alternatively, low-productivity workers could be losing their jobs and are forced to be self-employed. Further, some research shows that higher local unemployment rates lead workers to self-select into self-employment, as does past unemployment experience. The European Commission defines a self-employed person as someone: "pursuing

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3744-418: The highest probability of self-employment in lucrative industries such as professional services and finance. In contrast, racial and ethnic minorities are less likely than native-born Whites to be self-employed, with the exception of Asian immigrants who have a high rates of self-employment in low prestige industries such as retail trade and personal services. Much like the regular labor market, self-employment in

3816-404: The idea that flexibility in employment can only be secured through self-employment, and that such misuse of self-employment status "passes the burden of safety net support to the welfare state at the same time as reducing tax revenue". Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Aberdeen Group Aberdeen is an international marketing intelligence company. Aberdeen's headquarters

3888-477: The language, that the product is "work for hire", and that the copyright is transferred to the client. Otherwise, only the freelancer will own the right to reproduce the work. Registration of copyright is not required for ownership of these rights; however, litigation against infringement may require registration, as documented in the class action lawsuit, Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. Muchnick . In that case, freelance writers sued publishers for copyright violations, though

3960-400: The legal status of the enterprise, whether the business has employees or not (employers versus own-account workers) and/or the sector in which the business operates. Some countries also make the distinction between self-employed status and the status of 'dependent self-employed' (e.g. Spain, Italy), where the self-employed person works for only one client. Others distinguish self-employment which

4032-515: The local authority to use part of the home as business premises. If the self-employed person holds records of customers or suppliers in any electronic form they are required to register with the Information Commissioner's Office . Other legal responsibilities include statutory public liability insurance cover, modifying premises to be disabled-friendly, and the proper recording and accounting of financial transactions. Free advice on

4104-411: The majority of its North American workers are women. Catherine McKercher's research on journalism as a profession has showcased that while media organizations are still male-dominated, the reverse is true for freelance journalists and editors, whose ranks are mainly women. Freelancers have a variety of reasons for freelancing, the perceived benefits differ by gender, industry, and lifestyle. For instance,

4176-449: The possibility of long periods without work. Additionally, freelancers do not receive employment benefits such as a pension , sick leave , paid holidays, bonuses or health insurance , which can be a serious hardship for freelancers residing in countries such as the US without universal health care . Freelancers often earn less than their employed counterparts, although sometimes the opposite

4248-564: The range of responsibilities is available from government operated Business Link centres. The UK government has stated that "self-employment is not the right choice for everyone". The Office for National Statistics has observed that information on levels of income from self-employment is limited and largely comes from surveys. The House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee reported in May 2017 that some self-employment could be described as "bogus", noting that "a minority of companies" promote

4320-515: The results to the client. By custom, payment arrangements may be upfront, percentage upfront, or upon completion. For more complex projects, a contract may set a payment schedule based on milestones or outcomes. One of the drawbacks of freelancing is that there is no guaranteed payment, and the work can be highly precarious . In order to ensure payment, many freelancers use online payment platforms to protect themselves or work with local clients that can be held accountable. The question of ownership of

4392-716: The same time, this increased enforcement is affecting companies whose business models are based on using non-employee workers, as well as independent professionals who have chosen to work as independent contractors. For example, book publishing companies have traditionally outsourced certain tasks like indexing and proofreading to individuals working as independent contractors. Self-employed accountants and attorneys have traditionally hired out their services to accounting and law firms needing assistance. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service offers some guidance on what constitutes self-employment , but states have enacted stricter laws to address how independent contractors should be defined. For example,

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4464-535: The self-employment tax on Schedule SE of IRS Form 1040. Estimated taxes must be paid quarterly using form 1040-ES if estimated tax liability exceeds $ 1,000. Self-employed workers cannot contribute to a company-run 401(k) plan of the type with which most people are familiar. However, there are various vehicles available to self-employed individuals to save for retirement. Many set up a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) IRA , which allows them to contribute up to 25% of their income, up to $ 54,000 (2017) per year. There

4536-450: The semester. In interviews, and on blogs about freelancing, freelancers list choice and flexibility as a benefit. Freelancing, like other forms of casual labor , can be precarious work . Websites, books, portals and organizations for freelancers often feature advice on getting and keeping a steady work stream. Beside the lack of job security, many freelancers also report the ongoing hassle of dealing with employers who don't pay on time and

4608-491: The standard working day and working week. The European Commission does not define "freelancers" in any legislative text. However, the European Commission defines a self-employed person as someone: "pursuing a gainful activity for their own account, under the conditions laid down by national law". In the exercise of such an activity, the personal element is of special importance and such exercise always involves

4680-406: The study found that increased levels of self-employment were associated with strong increases in per capita income and job creation and significant reductions in family poverty levels. In 1969, the average income of non-farm proprietors was $ 6,758 compared to $ 6,507 earned by salaried employees; by 2006 the difference in earnings widened to $ 12,041 in favor of salaried employees. The study notes that

4752-597: The term independent contractor would be used in a different register of English to designate the tax and employment classes of this type of worker, the term "freelancing" is most common in culture and creative industries, and use of this term may indicate participation therein. Fields, professions, and industries where freelancing is predominant include: music , writing , acting , computer programming , web design , graphic design , translating and illustrating , film and video production, and other forms of piece work that some cultural theorists consider central to

4824-496: The term startup refers to new businesses that intend to provide work and income for more than the founders and intend to have employees and grow large. In summary: Although the common perception is that self-employment is concentrated in a few service sector industries, like salespeople and insurance agents , research by the Small Business Administration has shown that self-employment occurs across

4896-444: The term morphed from a noun (a freelance) into an adjective (a freelance journalist), a verb (a journalist who freelances) and an adverb (they worked freelance), as well as into the noun "freelancer". Self-employment Self-employed people generally find their own work rather than being provided with work by an employer and instead earn income from a profession, a trade, or a business that they operate. In some countries, such as

4968-506: The workforce) employed as independent contractors of all sorts. In 2011, Jeffrey Eisenach , an economist at George Mason University , estimated that number of freelancers had grown by one million. While in 2012, the Aberdeen Group , a private research company, estimated that 26% (approx. 81 million) of the United States population was a part of the contingent workforce , a category of casual labor that includes freelancing. In 2013,

5040-630: The writer to receive benefits while still being classified as a freelancer, and independent of any set organization. In some countries this can lead to taxation issues (e.g., so-called IR35 violations in the UK). Ghost signing has little bearing on whether a writer is a freelancer or employee in the US. Freelancers often must handle contracts, legal issues, accounting, marketing, and other business functions by themselves. If they do choose to pay for professional services, they can sometimes turn into significant out-of-pocket expenses . Working hours can extend beyond

5112-412: Was $ 23,060. Self-employment is relatively common among new immigrants and ethnic minorities in the United States. In the United States, immigrants tend to have higher rates of self-employment than native-born Americans regardless of race or ethnicity. But, self-employment in the United States is unevenly distributed across racial/ethnic lines. Immigrants and their children who self-identify as White have

5184-600: Was projected to grow to $ 20–$ 30 billion in the next 5–7 years in India , and the freelancers in the US will comprise 40% (approx.) of the workforce at the projected growth rate from the same time. Depending on the industry, freelance work practices vary and have changed over time. In some industries such as consulting, freelancers may require clients to sign written contracts . While in journalism or writing, freelancers may work for free or do work "on spec" to build their reputations or

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