Independent work: choice, necessity, and the gig economy

Other private external surveys
We also looked at a range of private studies and survey that have estimated independent 
workers, digital platform earners, or freelancers to compare estimates and outcomes. 
Exhibit A2 below shows a selection of the estimates that exist for the United States. There 
are few such studies on Europe, although some exist for individual countries. (An exception 
to this is the Kelly Services report mentioned above, which includes an estimate for Europe.) 
The ranges are typically driven by the scope of the definition used in each report. For 
example, Katz & Krueger focused on workers in “alternative work arrangements” for their 
primary job, while the JPMorgan Chase Institute looked at transactions from 30 platforms 
across a sample of JP Morgan checking accounts (this includes primary or supplementary 
income). Studies also differ in whether they include individuals who sell goods and lease 
assets; they may also classify independent workers in varying ways. 
Exhibit A2
SOURCE:  JP Morgan; Intuit; Katz & Krueger; Burson-Marsteller; Freelancers Union; BLS; Kelly Services; MBO Partners; McKinsey Global Institute analysis
In the United States, multiple studies have attempted to size the independent workforce, using different definitions