Gig Worker

Subject – Economy

Context – Europe takes on Uber, Deliveroo and other gig economy firms, workers to get employee rights

Concept –

Gig workers are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers.
A person who works temporary jobs typically in the service sector as an independent contractor or freelancer is a gig worker.

What is Gig Economy?

A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organizations contract with independent workers for short-term engagements
Examples of gig employees in the workforce could include freelancers, independent contractors, project-based workers and temporary or part-time hires.
Global Gig Economy Index report has ranked India among the top 10 countries.
The report says there has been an increase in freelancers in India from 11% in 2018 to 52% in 2019, thanks to various initiatives including Startup India and Skill India.

Does new version of labour code offer any relief to Gig workers?

The three new labour codes passed by Parliament recently acknowledge platform and gig workers as new occupational categories in the making
Defining gig workers is done in a bid to keep India’s young workforce secure as it embraces ‘new kinds of work’, like delivery, in the digital economy.
In the Code on Social Security, 2020, platform workers are now eligible for benefits like maternity benefits, life and disability cover, old age protection, provident fund, employment injury benefits, and so on.