Side Hustle Safety Net: How Vulnerable Workers Survive Precarious Times

The book Side Hustle Safety Net examines the impact of the pandemic on gig workers, including those in the gig economy, restaurant staff, early-career creatives, and minimum-wage laborers. It reveals the unique challenges they faced and how the CARES Act assistance allowed some to change careers and start businesses. However, gig workers and those involved in "polyemployment" found themselves at the mercy of outdated unemployment systems, vulnerable to scams, and attempting dubious survival strategies, leading to increased worker precarity with disastrous consequences.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 344 pages
Publication date: 24 October 2023
Publisher: University of California Press

The impact of the pandemic on gig workers is the subject of a groundbreaking sociological study that reads like a compelling novel. This captivating narrative delves into the lives of the most vulnerable wage earners, including gig workers, restaurant staff, early-career creatives, and minimum-wage laborers, as they navigate the sudden collapse of the economy. In her book titled "Side Hustle Safety Net," Alexandrea J. Ravenelle conducts extensive interviews with nearly two hundred gig-based and precarious workers, capturing their unique experiences during the peak of the pandemic.

This book offers a comprehensive examination of two distinct groups: the officially unemployed and the "forgotten jobless," a digital-era demographic that turned to side hustles in search of economic stability. It sheds light on how these individuals fared in unprecedented times, revealing both the challenges and opportunities they encountered.

One of the key findings of "Side Hustle Safety Net" is the impact of the CARES Act on gig workers and those involved in "polyemployment." While the assistance provided by the Act allowed some individuals to change careers, start businesses, and potentially transform their lives, gig workers and those engaged in multiple jobs found themselves at the mercy of outdated unemployment systems. They were vulnerable to scams, faced financial insecurity, and resorted to dubious survival strategies to make ends meet.

The book argues that the rise of the gig economy, coupled with underemployment and economic instability, has exacerbated worker precarity, leading to disastrous consequences. The pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities of gig workers, who are often excluded from traditional labor protections and benefits. It has highlighted the need for policies and initiatives that support and protect these workers, ensuring that they have access to basic rights, such as healthcare, unemployment insurance, and social safety nets.

"Side Hustle Safety Net" is a thought-provoking and empathetic exploration of the challenges faced by gig workers during the pandemic. It sheds light on the experiences of a diverse group of individuals who have been marginalized and overlooked in the traditional labor market. The book provides valuable insights into the workings of the gig economy and the urgent need for reform to address worker precarity and ensure a fair and equitable future for all workers.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520387294