New Dems Identify Key Questions for BLS in the Next Survey on Contingent Worker
Washington, DC – Earlier this week, over 20 Members of the New Democrat Coalition (New Dems) sent a letter, led by Reps. Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Seth Moulton (MA-06), and Jared Polis (CO-02), to the Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) outlining aspects of the contingent workforce BLS in the next Contingent Worker Supplement (CWS) to the Current Population Survey.
In the last decade, our economy has not only endured the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, but also changed through the development of technology that makes it easier than ever for consumers to connect with providers of goods and services. The past five years alone have seen an explosion of new technologies in the on-demand economy that posses the power to shape the way people find work and conduct business. As policymakers continue to learn more about the on-demand economy, New Dems believe we need more recent and targeted data on trends in our economy to best consider policies that support workers, foster innovation, and spur entrepreneurship before considering or evaluating regulations with uncertain consequences,
The CWS seeks to provide statistics and background on contingent workers such as those who work in the on-demand economies. The last CWS was conducted more than a decade ago and the next version presents a major opportunity to capture new information about the new economy after a decade of massive changes.
The New Dem letter asks BLS to investigate characteristics of workers in the on-demand economy such as demographic background, how often workers participate, how workers access benefits like health care, and how workers view their own tax statuses.
“The rise of the Internet and proliferation of technology have fundamentally changed our economy and the way we do business – the great challenge for American workers and policymakers during the next 20 years will be adapting to those changes,” Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) said. “We need to foster a space for businesses to innovate and develop creative new ideas while ensuring workers have access to the training and benefits they need to thrive. The Department of Labor will be a key partner in providing data that can help us achieve those goals.”
“Our economy is significantly different today than it was ten years ago, and for that reason, it is critical that we measure the impact of innovative, on-demand technologies on our workforce,” said Congressman Seth Moulton (MA-06). “A more accurate understanding of these new technologies will allow Congress to make better-informed decisions in support of this growing industry. I am committed to advancing this data-driven approach as we work to facilitate entrepreneurship and build a competitive 21st century workforce.”
“In-depth data is an important key to fully understanding the impact technology has on the nature of work in a modern economy,” said Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02). “As ‘on-demand’ style platforms develop a larger role in our broader economy, the kind of data BLS finds in this study will be a vital tool for lawmakers.,” said Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02).
New Dems are committed to growing the economy by building a competitive 21st century workforce and Text of the letter is below and signed copy is linked here advocate policies that support workers, foster innovation, and spur entrepreneurship.
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