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VOL.14, NO.11
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NOVEMBER 2017
I N S I D E …
PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER MYERS
By Carol Sorgen Barry Belle spent 30 years as a project manager for the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. But when the 75-year-old Pikesville resident retired in 2014, he still wanted to work — just not as much. “I just wanted to get out of the house two or three days a week,” said Belle, who’s now a driver for the ride-booking services Uber and Lyft, in addition to having private clients. Belle works several days a week, from 8 a.m. to no later than 3 p.m., driving customers to destinations as close as the Owings Mills Metro Station and as far as Waynesboro, Pa. and the Meadowlands in New Jersey. “This is a good way to meet people and earn some extra money,” said Belle. “You can start when you want, quit when you want, and go on vacation when you want.”
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L E I S U R E & T R AV E L
Repositioning cruises offer real bargains; plus, a visit to Thoreau’s Walden Pond, and new airline competition page 22
Payment by the job Belle is among the growing numbers of workers — including baby boomers and seniors — who are members of what is being called the “gig economy.” The term (the latest economic buzzword) describes the trend of “task-based employment.” Rather than working a standard 40-hour week with specific responsibilities — and receiving regular salaries, raises and benefits in return — workers are paid for the particular tasks (or “gigs”) they do. According to a recent study by McKenzie Global Institute, nearly three out of 10 American workers earns at least some of their income through independent and gig employment. The gig economy is of particular benefit to those considering retirement or those, like Belle, who have already retired, according to Chuck Underwood. Underwood is a pioneer in the field of generational study, which examines differences among the generations. He is the author of America’s Generations in the Workplace, Marketplace, and Living Room. “Boomers love to work,” said Underwood. “They always have and always will define themselves by their contribution to something larger than themselves. “We are also in a golden era of antiaging science, medicine and nutrition,” Underwood continued. “Life expectancy,
After retiring, Barry Belle started driving for Uber whenever he wanted to earn some funds. Such flexible jobs, where workers are paid for the tasks they perform and can choose to work as little or as much as they want, are known as part of the “gig” economy. Other gig jobs include hosting guests in your own home through Airbnb, and choosing from a variety of one-time chores to do for others through TaskRabbit.
according to scientists, is about to dramatically increase. So, boomers have become the first generation to have no good guess as to how long they might live if they simply take care of themselves. “If we don’t know how long we’ll live, we don’t know how much money we’ll need to retire. Therefore we can’t afford to retire.”
Flexibility and other differences Flexibility is one of the biggest draws of gig work, said Michael Black, general manager of Uber Baltimore, who oversees the 10,000 active Uber drivers here. “Instead of fitting your life around work, you can fit your work around your life.” There are a number of other differences between providing services in the gig economy and just hanging out your own
shingle as a solo entrepreneur. For starters, businesses such as Uber vet their providers (not just anyone can become an Uber driver, for example, and not just any car will do, either). And you must follow their rules to keep getting gigs. On the other hand, you don’t need to do your own marketing, as you would have a ready-made client base seeking your services. The problem here is that as more and more people enter the gig economy, existing workers face increasing competition from newcomers. Billing and collecting is also taken care of by such companies. Instead of your having to invoice a customer directly, buyers of the service you provide typically pay online or See GIG ECONOMY, page 21
ARTS & STYLE
Community group welcomes new artists; plus, photographer’s book recalls the heyday of Baltimore’s movie theaters page 27
TECHNOLOGY 4 k How to preserve your digital assets FITNESS & HEALTH k Your brain on diet soda k New flu and pneumonia shots
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