This paper argues that, in the face of rapid labour market changes, Canada should consider introducing a portable benefits sytem.

We live in a time of rising economic polarization. Low and high-wage jobs are growing, while those in the middle are declining or “hollowing out,” not just in the United States, but across the globe. Employment used to be a reliable path to economic stability and mobility for a wide range of workers, but that...

Every day there’s a new story about the rise of on-demand platforms, freelancers, precarious workers, and the “gig economy.” But what do these terms really mean? How is work actually changing? Are we destined to become a nation of “gig workers,” or, as some headlines indicated after the release of the last BLS Contingent Worker...

This report outlines a set of principles to guide the ongoing debate about how to expand economic security for the many who cannot currently rely on a job-based system of benefits.

A growing number of American workers earn income outside of traditional employee-employer relationships through self-employment and business ownership. This paper draws on administrative tax records to provide a more complete picture of the self-employed, including how they differ from employees (which we define as workers receiving wages reported on Form W2) and how their numbers...