A weekly presentation of downloadable charts and short analyses designed to graphically illustrate important economic issues. Updated every Wednesday.

Snapshot for May 26, 1999

The first figure shows that nonstandard workers — or those employed in temporary, part-time, on-call, and self-employed jobs — comprised 28.7% of the workforce in 1997 (the latest year for which complete figures are available). The largest nonstandard category was part-time work (13.6%), followed by independent contracting (6.5%), and self-employment (4.8%).

While many nonstandard workers prefer their work arrangements to regular, full-time jobs, the bottom figure illustrates that nonstandard workers generally earn less and receive fewer fringe benefits than do regular full-time workers with similar educational levels, skills, and experience.

Sources: The State of Working America 1998-99.

Check out the archive for past Economic Snapshots.