In the Press

With Broadway and other theater closures now stretching past 10 months, people in the industry have limited options for keeping their coverage.

Millions of self-employed workers are set to lose their benefits after Christmas and lawmakers have yet to find a solution

While nearly every industry is facing layoffs due to the coronavirus epidemic, journalism is bearing a particular brunt.

Freelancers Union poll shows self-employed music and performing arts professionals are not receiving the government assistance they need.

After the Small Business Administration ran out of funds to provide coronavirus relief loans, an organization representing freelancers in independent media is calling for legislators to better support the self-employed and independent workers in a replenishment bill.

To help freelancers in their time of need, the Freelancers Union is launching the Freelancers Relief Fund, a direct aid fund that will help independent workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic so they can pay for their expenses like rent, utilities, and groceries.

New York City and state should take emergency measures to help freelancers who are in dire financial straits due to the coronavirus crisis, says a group repping 170,000 of the Big Apple’s independent contractors.

Rafael Espinal prepares to take the helm of the Freelancers Union as executive director on March

There are now 57 million Americans in the freelance economy, and the majority — 51% — say no amount of money would ever entice them to take a traditional job.

The City Council approved Thursday a bill that will extend workplace anti-discrimination protections to freelancers and contract workers.

A new local law will now explicitly protect freelance workers and independent contractors from discrimination and harassment. The bill, known as Intro. 136, passed Thursday and helps to clarify which workers are protected by the preexisting City Human Rights Law.

“We see a lot of people over 55 starting to explore freelancing, either full or part time, as a source of extra income or as a way to transition into retirement when they can’t or don’t want to stop working entirely,” said Caitlin Pearce, the executive director of the Freelancers Union, the country’s largest advocacy group for independent workers. “You certainly never want to see someone working later in life than they want. But freelancing can be a good solution for people who are ready to scale back but haven’t saved enough to retire outright.”

The City Council voted Thursday to extend NYC’s anti-discrimination law to protect freelancers, independent contractors and interns.

A report released Tuesday by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Freelancers Union, and job portal site Upwork, found that 1.3 million working New Yorkers — about one-third of the workforce — have done freelance work in the last year. Of those workers, 29% said they freelance full-time and 50% said they freelance part-time, according to the report.

“Young women are a major part of the growing group of full-time freelancers,” says Caitlin Pearce, the executive director of the Freelancers Union. “However, maternity leave is an area where the gaps are glaring, in terms of resources for them, and there’s no great way to handle it.”

Parental leave can be tough to access, even within organizations that offer generous paid leave policies. For full-time freelancers and independent contractors, it’s even tougher to carve out time off when a new baby arrives.

The rise of freelance working is transforming the global job market, and the lives of workers. In New York City, 40% of all workers have freelanced in the last year.

Unions are more popular than they’ve been in almost two decades, thanks to successful organizing efforts in new sectors like digital media and fast food, revitalized labor action in more traditional industries like education and manufacturing, and the threat of a general strike helping end a painful government shutdown.

The union started a petition and held rallies and gatherings where members including Carolina Salas shared their experiences of late payment. It was able to show that a diverse workforce was affected, from seamstresses in the Bronx, to copywriters in Queens.

In October, the city partnered with the Freelancers Union to open the Freelancers Hub in Brooklyn. It's a kind of communal co-working space that offers classes, tax and legal advice — all at no cost — to the city's growing population of freelance workers.

Thankfully, New York's feral freelance population is about to get a much-deserved boost. On Wednesday, the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment announced that a first-of-its-kind "Freelancer's Hub" will be coming to DUMBO in two months.

At 10 a.m. today, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will announce the creation of a “Freelancers Hub” at the Made in NY Media Center in Dumbo, Brooklyn.

Leaders of most cities ignore freelancing when they look for ideas to develop their economies, focusing mostly on efforts like attracting traditional startups and reviving manufacturing.

New York City’s freelancers will soon have a free place to hone their skills, talk shop and get help finding a gig. The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment announced the creation of the first city-sponsored freelancer’s hub on Wednesday. ...

The best part of freelancing – getting paid – is also the No. 1 cause for complaints, according to Caitlin Pearce of the Freelancers Union

We asked the director of the Brooklyn-based Freelancers Union for advice on bringing home those elusive checks.

Many of us daydream about being our own boss, but if you want to make it a reality, follow these guidelines. ...

It’s been a year since the Freelance Isn’t Free Act went into effect in New York City. A new report from the Department of Consumer Affairs, the agency charged with enforcing the new law, shows the law’s early impact.

Freelancers Union provides insurance and retirement information with links to resources for its 350,000 members. The Union also has a monthly networking group called Spark, with meetings in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Contract workers and freelancers have few legal rights, compared with those hired as employees. Under federal law, a contract worker lacks the right to sue for sexual harassment or gender discrimination, for example, because workplace civil rights laws do not apply.

[Podcast] Contract work isn’t a passing trend. It’s here to stay. And it’s how 20 percent of employees make a living today. In the next 10 years, some labor economists predict that contract workers will make up the majority of the U.S. workforce.

Nelson found plenty of company. He volunteers as leader of the Madison, Wis., chapter of Spark, a networking group started by the Freelancers Union that includes among its members a bug farming consultant and astrobiologist, as well as people from other walks of life.

Nelson found plenty of company. He volunteers as leader of the Madison, Wis., chapter of Spark, a networking group started by the Freelancers Union that includes among its members a bug farming consultant and astrobiologist, as well as people from other walks of life.

The White House has been touting job training programs and apprenticeships since Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta was sworn in some six months ago, but one advocate says so far they’re leaving out a big slice of the workforce: freelancers and other independent contractors.

“Freelancers are really trying to figure it out on their own,” Freelancers Union President Sara Horowitz told Bloomberg Law. “Over a third of the workforce are having to use the tax code as the funder of their training because the government has no money going to this.”...

Over 70% of freelancers have trouble getting paid at some point in their careers, according to research by the Freelancers Union, the nonprofit group that promotes the interests of independent workers. “When you’re on your own freelancing for a big company, there is a fundamental power imbalance,” says Caitlin Pearce, director of advocacy and member engagement there. So if your paycheck doesn’t arrive on time, “You think, ‘What did I do wrong?’” Here are some strategies to help you run the, ahem, “billing department” of your freelance business.

Yet there are signs that a new kind of labour movement may be brewing. Consider the recent growth of the Freelancers Union, which represents some 350,000 workers, mainly in major urban areas. Unlike traditional unions, where dues are collected by law and workers tend to be in public service industries or areas like building trades and manufacturing, the Freelancers Union caters to higher level service workers (writers, graphic artists, photographers). This underscores the changing nature of what it means to be “working class”. If you consider it merely in terms of a dollar per hour figure, many such white-collar freelancers would not count. But if you consider it in terms of job insecurity, as many leftwing economists increasingly do, then these workers absolutely have similar challenges and concerns, from a lack of pensions and healthcare to an increasing vulnerability to being undercut by job replacing technologies, which are moving higher up the economic food chain.

A growing number of Americans rely on gigs for income — driving a car, writing bits of code, or doing tasks for hire on a project-by-project basis, and this kind of contingent work is spreading to more industries as well. The vast majority of the estimated 54 million to 68 million contingent or independent workers in the U.S. do not receive employee benefits, though some companies and lawmakers are trying to change that.

The 350,000-member Freelancers Union, one of the prime advocates for the city legislation, launched a phone application to link independent workers to legal services, the group’s president, Sara Horowitz, told Bloomberg BNA May 10.

“When freelancers get stiffed, they’ll be able to use the app to get recommendations for two lawyers to provide them with immediate help,” she said. The union helped to craft the city law and get it passed, she said, and now looks forward to helping to enforce it as “the next new-era safety net.”...

The country's first freelancer protections against nonpayment go into effect in New York City today, so now's a good time to brush up on a law intended to help a full third of the city's workforce get paid on time.

The vast majority of the nation’s 55 million independent workers — more than one-third of the country’s work force — are creating income from a wide variety of sources.

Freelancers now constitute a third of the American workforce, and over the past decade, 94% of new jobs added to the U.S. economy were created in the so-called gig economy. Yet freelancers must retrofit themselves into an archaic system designed for the industrial era, one that taxes independent workers disproportionately even as they benefit less from the social safety net.

Enjoy it or not, more people are hustling.

A growing share of the U.S. workforce relies on...

Every year in the United States, more and more people leave the world of permanent employment for a world where...

Short-term workers need two new types of protection, says Sara Horowitz, founder and executive director of the Freelancer’s Union. ...

...

New York City is about to approve first-of-its-kind legislation protecting ...

Companies that stiff freelancers will face stiffer ...

Freelancers love to freelance, according to a survey commissioned by the Freelancers Union, a nonprofit organization that advocates for independent ...

Freelancers have long been a large part of the ...

“Freelancers are one-third of the workforce,” says Freelancers Union Founder and Executive Director ...

Freelancers are a powerful and growing force of the U.S. economy. And they are also an important voting bloc in...

The September jobs report comes out on Friday, with an expected 175,000 jobs to have been added to the US...

The Freelance Isn’t Free Act could potentially broaden that kind of authority to cover all freelancers. “I think that ...

FREELANCERS UNION

The Freelancers Union has for decades advocated on behalf of independent workers’ rights, most...

There are signs that in U.S. workforce the army of freelancers active today is growing.

According to the...

Becoming a freelancer can be liberating — and also a little terrifying. Where do you even begin? What ...

Meanwhile, a report from the Century Foundation and the New America ...

Freelancing comes with some obvious perks, like flexibility in schedule and workplace location, but it definitely isn't all about long ...

All independent contractors should have retirement accounts, says Ann Boger, chief operating ...

According to a study commissioned by the Freelancers Union and UpWork, 34 percent of the American workforce is composed of...

By 2014, the Freelancers Union calculated that about 53 million Americans had become independent workers, as I am, whether voluntarily...

The Freelancers Union has also teamed up with Uber and the new guild, and will help advise on possible benefits...

Both Uber and the new Independent Drivers Guild also agreed to lobby for more equitable tax treatment among New York’s...

Also on Tuesday, Uber said the Freelancers Union, which supports independent workers, will advise the company on how to create...

A meeting of the Freelancers Union, held last week at the Museum of the Moving Image, welcomed City Councilman Jimmy...

For freelancers, getting paid is sometimes the hardest part of the job: The majority of freelance workers have experienced ...

In an effort to support a first-of-its-kind city legislation that will give independent contractors ...

The union is trying to bring attention to their plight, and to support the ‘Freelance Isn’t Free’ Act, NYC Council ...

When you work as a freelancer, getting paid is often a matter of nagging ...

"I think Gawker and places that have been unionized by the Writers Guild are forging important and ne...

Are you a freelancer who is struggling to get paid in a timely fashion? New York City Councilmember Brad Lander...

NY1 VIDEO: Errol Louis discussed a new push to protect freelance workers and ensure better ...

Lander introduced his bill last December after ...

According to newly published data from the Freelancers Union, about half of freelancers surveyed in 2014 reported they had trouble...

The announcement was applauded by Sara ...

Nearly 54 million Americans - or roughly a third of the U.S. workforce...

The intersection of these joint realizations with the Internet has created a new force in the work world, the Uber...

Increasing numbers of skilled professionals are driving the growth of the gig economy. And while ...

In some ways, 2015 was the year of the gig economy, with the scale and diversity of the freelance workforce...

And in other news: South Korean labor struggles escalate, unionization and strike votes by Chicago ...

In a study commissioned by Upwork and the Freelancers Union, nearly 54 million Americans freelanced last year. That ...

The proposed legislation, the “Freelance Isn’t Free” bill, seeks to protect contracted workers from employers who refuse to ...

Freelancers Union Founder argues that the lack of portable benefits is one of the biggest impediments holding independent workers back. .

Freelancers stiffed by deadbeat employers would get more protections under a bill introduced in the City Council on ...

A bill introduced to the City Council yesterday would add a modicum of legal protection for freelancers, who are often ...

A new bill would hike penalties and create new enforcement mechanisms for clients who don't pay their contractors on time.

Late payments could mean incarceration for employers under union-backed legislation introduced Monday by Councilman Brad Lander.

"Employers realize that this is an important group to keep in New York," said Sara Horowitz, director of the Freelancers...

Businesses aren’t likely to hop on board unless the legal framework is updatedto allow them to offer some benefits ...

And she had a ready market for the service: 34 percent of Americans — 53 million people — freelance, according...

In New York City, activists are pushing officials to protect independent contractors from wage theft, said Sara Horowitz, executive director...

Last year, 54 million Americans -- more than one-third of all U.S. workers -- did freelance work, according to a...

Whether you moonlight or work as an independent contractor, freelancing isn’t easy. But if you’re like the thousands of freelancers...

“Nearly 54 million Americans are freelancing today, but while they are pioneering a new approach to work and life, they...

Nearly 54 million Americans, more than one-third of the U.S. workforce, did some type of freelance work in the past...

The signatories to the statement, including representatives of groups such as the Freelancers Union, National Guestworker Allia...

If local governments did issue a mandate requiring that benefits be made available to gig workers, there’s still a question...

I also spoke with Horowitz, who cited the "portable benefits network" Freelancers Union ...

According to the Freelancers Union in an article as recent as July, 77 percent of consultants ...

Lander is working with the New York City-based Freelancers Union to create a legislative framework for wage...

A more recent survey commissioned in 2014 by the Freelancers Union finds that 53 million Americans, or 34% of the...

A recent study of 7,107 U.S. workers conducted by Edelman Berland and sponsored by Upwork and the Freelancers Union found...

Freelancers Union and Upwork.com released a new study that says 54 million Americans are doing freelance work. This is an...

Nearly 54 million Americans are now doing freelance work, according to a newstudy commissioned by the Freelancers Union and Upwork.com, ...

In New York City, we are working with the Freelancers Union to combat wage theft and late payment. When conventional...

These new capitalists seem to like flexibility of part-time work. They bring in the additional income they need to raise...

If you’re on the fence about whether you want to leave your stable job to freelance (or even just freelance...

We could look to the health-care exchanges as one public-private model. Perhaps we might borrow the idea of the Hour...

In 2015, 34 percent of U.S. workers were freelancers, according to the results of a new survey commissioned by the...

How powerful? More than 1 in 3 U.S. workers — nearly 54 million Americans — are freelancing, according to the...

For many employees, becoming freelancers might be the best way to make more money, according to a new survey of...

Politicians in Washington need to pay more attention to the growing contingent of freelance workers in the United States, according...

Nearly 54 million men and women are now part of America's independent workforce -- working variously as accountants, computer programmers, ...

The survey of 7,107 working adults by the Freelancers Union and Upwork, the freelance marketplace once known as Elance-oDesk, found...

A recent study commissioned in part by the Freelancers Union estimates that about one-third of the work force, or 53.7...

According to a survey released Thursday of more than 7,000 freelancers by the Freelancers’ Union and Upwork, a site that...

Upwork and Freelancers Union released their jointly-commissioned study “Freelancing in America: 2015” Thursday. The report includes a sizing and segmentation...

The surge in freelancing is more than two decades old at this point. When I founded Freelancers Union in 1995,...

The Freelancers Union and Upwork's commissioned study said about 34% of the workforce are freelancers, and it saw a jump...

Though Sen. Warner is the only member of Congress who has explicitly targeted policy around the gig economy, the 273,000-member...

Roughly a third of U.S. workers do freelance work, most of them on top of more traditional working arrangements, according...

You weren’t totally imagining it! There really is a fast-growing contingent of Americans who get by on a variety of...

On Thursday, the Freelancers Union and online work marketplace Upwork released their second annual commissioned study on the topic, which...

It's a common complaint for independent workers across industries. In a recent survey by the Freelancers Union, nearly half of...

An oft-cited study by software company Intuit forecast that freelancers, part-timers and independent contractors would make up more than 40%...

Starting Monday, the Freelancers Union will hit the subways with an artistic campaign to raise awareness of some problems faced...

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, wants the non-traditional workers to know “you deserve to get paid.” If you’re...

Starting Monday, the Freelancers Union will hit the subways with an artistic campaign to raise awareness of some problems faced...

Sara Horowitz, founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union, an organization that advocates and provides services for independent workers,...

"On average, our members are owed over $10,000 in unpaid invoices and spend 36 hours tracking down each missing payment,"...

As so often happens when we set out to do big things, when I set out to create what would...

A host of services are springing up to serve the growing hordes of American part-timers. The Freelancers Union, founded in...

“In these business models, efficiency is variability,” says Sara Horowitz, president of the Freelancers Union, which advocates and provides services...

Freelancers Union: The Brooklyn-based Freelancers Union boasts nearly 300,000 members, having quadrupled in numbers in just seven years. Besides offering...

We know that freelancers are changing the way we think about work, with their flexible schedules and multiple employers. And ...

One such organization — aptly named Freelancers Union— has more than 260,000 members. The union seeks to provide mutual support...

When Sara Horowitz founded the Freelancers Union in 1995, there was already evidence that the structure of people's work lives...

When Sara Horowitz founded the Freelancers Union in 1995, there was already evidence that the structure of people's work lives...

“We’ve studied this for many years, and it really boils down to autonomy, control, and flexibility: the autonomy to work...

Sara Horowitz, founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union, an advocacy organization, puts the scale of the dislocation o...

Meanwhile, the Freelancers Union released a survey last year showing 53 million Americans, or 34 percent of the workforce, are...

Freelancers Union and Elance-oDesk took a self-proclaimed deep dive into how Americans are putting together their work-lives. The resulting report,...

Credible has partnered with the Freelancer’s Union, and has saved the average graduate around $11,000 on their student loans...

"What we're seeing is that these platforms, these share economy platforms are really changing the structure of business itself," said...

Workers don’t have the choice to wait for companies to do the right thing—so they’re moving forward, apportioning their time...

As the traditional job structure deteriorates, office workers around the country are experiencing the great shrinking of the afternoon coffee-clutch...

Freelancers Union remains among the few resources for the 53 million Americans working without a full-time employer, but as the ...

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, which is based in New York, puts it like this: “If you’re running...

According to a recent study from last September commissioned by the Freelancers Union, an estimated 34 percent of workers in...

Even if you’re not a freelancer or moonlighter yourself, it’s becoming more likely that you have independent workers in your...

According to the Freelancers Union, 53 million of us freelance at least some of the time. Not only is income...

But the decision to organize is another push toward a growing wave of support for organized labor among snake people.

The SEIU’s move is timely, given the rising number of workers that will never join a traditional union. In May, ...

Warner has spoken with Sara Horowitz, the president of the Freelancers Union, which provides unionlike benefits to its 264,000 mostly...

Freelancers Union is a quintessential resource for writers. Both its Twitter page andwebsite have important information about health benefits for...

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, said in an article for Fast Company that 53 percent of freelancers are...

“The Freelancer’s Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Career of Your Dreams—On Your Terms” by Sara Horowitz:...

53 million Americans, or 34 per cent of the country's workforce, now work as freelancers according to the Freelancers Union.

According to a report from the nonprofit Freelancers Union, 53 million Americans now work as freelance contractors—about one in three ...

Sara Horowitz, the founder and executive director of Freelancers Union and the co-author of The Freelancer's Bible: Everything You Need...

There was a time when work meant loyalty to the big boss. That era is over. The new reality is...

TaskRabbit has introduced a wage floor, making it impossible for workers to earn less than $12.80 an hour. That’s higher...

Freelancers often don't realize they have to submit their taxes four times a year, says Sara Horowitz, founder and executive...

Sara Horowitz is in demand. The founder of the Freelancers Union, which has 250,000 independent contractors on its books, is ...

In a study last year of nearly 2,000 freelancers commissioned by Freelancers Unionand conducted by the independent research firm Edelman...

"Obamacare is part of this new rising infrastructure that's coming up around this new workforce," said Dan Lavoie, director of...

"Freelancing and retirement just go together," says Sara Horowitz, author of "The Freelancer's Bible" and founder and executive director of ...

Sara Horowitz heads up the Freelancers Union, which is one of the groups that’s arisen in recent years to play...

Non-compulsory unions can also serve workers by offering training and group benefits such as insurance. One example is the Freelancers...

The lack of attention to solo business owners is shocking. About 53 million Americans now work as one-man or one-woman...

In recent years, the Freelancers Union has gained a lot of attention, particularly in New York City’s creative economy. With ...

Gauging the size of the app-enabled workforce is difficult, in part because so many workers join and abandon freelance platforms;...

America's 53 million freelancers are their own bosses, but face not having health insurance and job security. Up to Datelooks...

A recent study by the Freelancers Union, a pressure group for freelance workers, suggests that one in three members of...

High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut &...

Freelancers Union, a nationwide organization based in New York City with about 250,000 members, has launched a National Benefits Platform...

I am one of the fortunate self-employed Americans who has had access to excellent Freelancers Union options, thanks to my...

Non-compulsory unions can also serve workers by offering training and group benefits such as insurance. One example is the Freelancers...

Krueger, who was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers for Obama, says Democrats "need to think creatively about worker...

“The Freelancers Union is still the place for freelancers to go for coverage,” said Dan Lavoie, the union’s director of...

Despite the slow recovery in the nation's employment rate, one group of the labor force continues to surge: temporary, contingent...

Before, you had to be a member of the Freelancers Union to get the benefits, and now, it's open up...

Last week, the Freelancers Union released a short animated video—”The Work Revolution: How Freelancers Got a Union”—styled with playful visuals...

The Freelancers Union, a national advocate for independent workers, has offered healthcare benefits to its 250,000 members since 2003. Starting...

In today's emerging economy, 53 million Americans are "independent workers" or freelancers — about one-third of the entire workforce, according...

Freelancers Medical, the clinic arm of the Freelancers Union’s Freelancers Insurance Co., has been around for two years now, aiming...

On Tuesday, F.I.C. announced that it will be opening 15 new primary care clinics in New York and other cities...

The Freelancers Union was founded by Sara Horowitz almost 20 years ago in New York City. A primary focus early...

The Freelancers Union, a trade group for the members of the gig economy, has just signed a partnership with Empire ...

For much of its existence, the Freelancers Union’s reason for being was to get workers who weren’t in full-time jobs...

According to a new survey commissioned by Freelancers Union & Elance-oDesk dubbed “Freelancing in America,” freelancing is on the up...

The numbers are staggering. Recent research, conducted by Edelman Berland and commissioned by the Freelancers Union and Elance-oDesk, estimates that...

Most people, if they had to guess, would say the freelance economy is growing. But for previous articles on freelancing...

A new study by the Freelancers Union and Elance-oDesk highlights an interesting change in the way Americans work. More than...

According to a new survey commissioned by Freelancers Union and Elance-oDesk, freelance workers make up 53 million people, or 34%...

A new report shows some 53 million Americans—or 34 percent of the U.S. workforce—are now working as freelancers in some...

The American workforce is now 34% freelancer, according to a new study commissioned by the Freelancers Union and the recently-merged ...

Freelance work is not a passing trend. And contrary to conventional wisdom, a majority of freelancers are quite satisfied and...

53 million Americans, or 34% of the U.S. workforce, said they engaged in some form of freelance work in the...

Thirty-four percent of the American workforce freelances, according to a survey commissioned by the Freelancers Union and “online workplace” site ...

Fifty-three million Americans, or 34% of the nation’s workforce, qualify as freelancers, according to a new report from the Freelancers...

When the Labor Department releases its latest jobs report on Friday, it will likely show that the economy added about...

In July, the Freelancers Union, the country’s largest advocacy and resources group for those of us in the gig economy,...

Freelancers are thriving. Nearly 90% of workers affiliated with the 250,000 member Freelancers Union say they wouldn’t return to traditional...

Fortunately, as the gig economy continues to grow, Freelancers Union, which has actually been around since 1995, has created a...

Freelancers, independent contractors and temp workers are on their way to making up the majority of the U.S. labor force.

As of 2005, there were 42.6 million "contingent workers" in the U.S. workforce, according to the first and only report...

“Having a diverse portfolio is the best protection,” says Sara Horowitz, the founder and executive director of Freelancers Union, an...

The nonprofit Freelancers Union in June began offering liability and life insurance, along with other benefit products, tailored for its...

Sara Horowitz founded the Freelancers Union, a co-operatively run non-profit in the United States in 2003. It now has 237,000...

In the dark days before Obamacare, a luxury like basic health insurance would have cost a freelancer dearly. But lifelong...

We just might be ready for the largest “Kumbaya” performance the world has ever seen. With over 42 million freelancers...

A special panel discussion of income inequality and economic mobility from The Clinton Global Initiative America in Denver, Colorado...

“We're seeing freelancers connecting and engaging with each other in ways we couldn't have imagined even a few years ago,”...

One of the biggest obstacles to entrepreneurship in the U.S. is the reality that workers lose valuable benefits like insurance...

Freelancers Union, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit that seeks to unite marketing consultants, Web designers, nannies, and other independent workers, is expanding ...

At the Clinton Global Initiative America event today, Freelancers Union founder and executive director Sara Horowitz unveiled a new national...

By big clients we mean clients with deep pockets. Budgets to spend and contract to sign. That’s why this post...

And with many companies pulling back on benefits spending for full-time workers, the rigidity of traditional contracts and schedules might...

It’s better to adopt business practices that minimize the chances of nonpayment, many experts say. That involves financial vetting of...

“The standard workweek [is] a prison of the past” says Sara Horowitz, CEO and founder of Freelancers Union, who has ...

Lindsay Van Thoen, in a blog for the Freelancers Union, a labor organization, suggested one method for setting an hourly...

Don't look to Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C., for new ideas about how to make workers' lives better. Social unionism,...

As the founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union, and the CEO of the social-purpose Freelancers Insurance Company (FIC),...

What’s in a revolution? If you asked Abbie Hoffman in 1968, he’d tell you it was a series of “boycotts,...

Few understand these shifts in the American economy and work mentality better than Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union.

It’s becoming popular in certain quarters of America, like here for instance, to make a conscious effort to flip the...

In keeping with tradition, the Quiet Revolution will not be televised, but it is happening, nevertheless, in community gardens, coworking...

People today, writes Sara Horowitz, founder and leader of the Freelancers Union, have "stopped looking for more. We just want...

The Freelancers Union has started an interactive project to map sustainable business in New York and Portland. It’s...

While spending might be up for the richest 1%, the rest of Americans are quietly revolutionizing the economy, reshaping their...

More Americans are also turning to freelancing to try to help maintain their standard of living in a time of...

For counsel and a sense of community, he joined the Brooklyn-basedFreelancers Union, one of the nation’s fastest-growing labor organizations, with...

So others are driven to adopt their own categories. The Freelancers Union frequently cites a number of 42 million independent...

The old model of slaving for 40 hours a week in exchange for a paycheck is eroding. When you can...

The hidden truth can be found by looking at the explosive growth in the freelance economy since the Great Recession.

It's that simple idea -- we are stronger together than we are alone -- that's at the heart of...

Forbes named Freelancers Union one of the top websites for entreprenuers.

A feature on our freelancer hall in Downtown Brooklyn -- with free primary care and yoga!...

It’s time for independent workers to steer this new marketplace in a more sustainable direction...

Some 30 percent of the US workforce is freelance, says Sara Horowitz, the founder of the Freelancers Union. That...

People are abandoning the 40-hour workweek -- some by choice, some by circumstance -- and becoming freelancers, working gig...

In this conversation with Bloomberg Businessweek, Sara Horowitz explains why the conversation around freelancing needs to change.

On the Diane Rehm Show, Sara laid out a broad vision for the next economy built on the collective...

Work Market is making the process of hiring freelancers more efficient, says Sara Horowitz, executive director at the nonprofit,...

The past two decades have seen explosive growth in “alt-labor”: groups that are organizing and mobilizing workers without seeking ...

A nation of freelancers can't afford their own private summer homes. But a return to the proud tradition of ...

Sara Horowitz, the founder of the Freelancers Union, has been thinking about the economic impact of the sharing or...

In this video interview, Sara Horowitz offers her perspective on why more people are becoming freelancers.

Sara Horowitz discusses the changing face of jobs in America.

Sara Horowitz discusses what the growing trend of micro-task websites means for freelancers.

Sara answers questions about her book, The Freelancer's Bible, as well as the emerging freelance economy.

Sara Horowitz discusses what Freelancers Union offers members, what her membership numbers say about the accuracy of the country's...

Sara Horowitz, Executive Director at Freelancers Union, discusses the changing nature of permanent work.

Without the convenience of an employer-sponsored 401(k) or 403(b), planning for retirement can be a challenge. A survey by...

A review and discussion of Sara Horowitz's book, The Freelancer's Bible.

Just when we were getting used to the idea of the gig economy, where more people are freelancing and...

In the 10 years since Sara Horowitz started Freelancers Union, the organization has become the largest representative of independent...

The US last calculated the number of contingent workers in 2005 – how can we structure better policies without hard...

Sara Horowitz talks about the gig economy, her vision for the future, and Freelancers Union's mission.

As the executive director of the Freelancers Union, Sara Horowitz knows the importance of a supportive community. When she...

Started in 1995, Freelancers Union now has over 200,000 members.

Sara discusses entrepreneurs' responsibility for tackling social issues and shares her top five tips for success.

The kind of influence needed to acquire clients doesn't require money or status.

An interview with Sara Horowitz about why more Americans are turning to freelancing for cashflow.

Sara Horowitz, the founder of Freelancers Union, dubbed the freelance surge the "Industrial Revolution of our time" — as ...

Keep careful track of home-office expenses, advises Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, a New York City-based organizatio...

Organizations like the Freelancers Union encourage freelancers to pool together their power in numbers and create a system of...

A profile of Sara Horowitz.

The Freelancer’s Bible is a self-help book packed with useful tips and tools sure to benefit new and seasoned...

How Sara Horowitz created affordable health care benefits for freelancers.

Great lessons learned from Sara Horowitz's book, The Freelancer's Bible.

Sara Horowitz,  author of the "The Freelancer's Bible," discusses some tips for freelancers about navigating the world of freelancing.

Sara Horowitz discusses her new book, "The Freelancer's Bible," the pros and cons of life as an independent worker,...

An excerpt from Sara Horowitz's book, The Freelancer's Bible.

In a brick building in Brooklyn, a new style of health care has come to the cities hordes of...

More Americans are working for themselves than ever before, a trend that says as much about the future of ...

The author of the newly released The Freelancer's Bible shares what she's learned about organizing the masses and what...

In addition to robust growth of their membership and customer base, the Freelancers Union was awarded $340 million in...

Independent workers and their advocates may be coming into their own. Sara Horowitz, the founder and lead executive of...

Your Freelance Portfolio helps you balance the risks and rewards of your freelance life, just like a financial portfolio.

Sara Horowitz appeared on Work with Marty Nemko to discuss her new book, The Freelancer's Bible....

Sara Horowitz has been working tirelessly to serve the needs of independent workers.

Up to one-third of working adults in the United States are independent contractors. Do you have what it takes to...

Today in downtown Brooklyn, the nation’s only state-of-the-art primary care practice for freelancers opened its doors. This facility will ...

The New Year is the perfect time to evaluate your career and take control of your professional life. And ...

At the new medical clinic opening next week in Downtown Brooklyn, sunlight streams in from the fourth story windows,...

Today, freelancers are the fastest-growing sector of the economy, but our current social contract, written for the 9-to-5 world,...

“The increase in freelancers isn’t a temporary phase. It’s a systemic change,” says Sara Horowitz, founder of Freelancers Union.

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, shares how to overcome common challenges as a freelancer.

Freelancers Union founder Sara Horowitz explains how the world of work has undergone a dramatic change as more and...

America isn't just the "land of the free" any more. We’re rapidly becoming the land of the freelancer.

Noting that freelancers are now one of every three American workers – or 42 million people – the Freelancers...

Sara Horowitz, Founder and Executive Director of the Freelancers Union, says that freelancing is going across the entire economy.

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, is building the support system for a new generation of independent...

Now, an estimated 42 million workers are freelancers who work on a project basis for various clients,...

Sara Horowitz's new book, "The Freelancer's Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Have the Career of Your Dreams...

Freelancers Union is renovating a bright, 6,000-square-foot space at 408 Jay Street in Fulton Mall for a November opening...

The CO-OP will provide health coverage to the self-employed in Oregon.

The question of how to get Americans working again is critical as unemployment takes its toll on families and...

More than 40 million Americans are freelance workers and temporary employment has grown more than 20 percent since the...

The next generation of organized labor should be about something more than recovering middle-class wages. It should be about...

Sara Horowitz, 49, the founder of the Freelancers Union, has a commitment to workers’ rights that runs several generations...

Sara Horowitz, ILR '84, as executive director of the 180,000-member Freelancers Union she founded in 1995, helps define the...

Almost one-third of American workers now do some kind of freelance work—and they lack almost every kind of economic...

Will temporary work be a permanent feature of the new economy?  Will some workers choose nomadic careers while others...

Friday’s disappointing job numbers featured one glimmer of positivity: USA Today reports that the number of temporary employees rose...

Many freelance journalists writing about the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Affordable Health Care Act were not just...

The for- and non-profit landscapes are merging to create a new class of organization leader. Generally called social entrepreneurs,...

Watch a video of founder Sara Horowitz's talk about community and solidarity from Personal Democracy Forum 2012.

Brooklyn is a blueprint for the country. Independent work—freelancing, part-time, consulting, temping, self-employment—has now surged to almost one-third of...

Sara Horowitz, founder and executive director of Freelancers Union, talks about the proposed Freelancer Payment Protection Act.

Later this afternoon, members of the Freelancers Union are set to descend on the steps of the New York ...

A few weeks ago, The World’s Longest Invoice was created online. Small business owners and freelancers contributed their unpaid...

“Get paid not played!” freelancers rallied at Albany today. They were there to lobby the state legislature to pass...

The Freelancers Union says its members are owed about $16 million from various employers who never paid them for ...

If you're job searching, a growing number of sites not only advertise freelance gigs, but help you build a ...

When you're a freelance worker, it's easy to feel on your own. In reality, you're part of a nation ...

Hey, freelancers: Remember that Web design project that, once completed, unexpectedly became a “volunteer opportunity?” Or the business that...

Legislation hasn't kept up with our economic reality, so contingent workers have little recourse when they get stiffed. Fortunately...

The civic action campaign launched Thursday is led by the Freelancers Union--a non-profit organization that provides health insurance t...

The workforce is changing — and not just because unemployment remains stubbornly high. We’re all more likely to work...

Freelancers who don’t get paid until after their work is done always risk getting burned by clients. Brooke Dixon,...

Many of the folks on our list love being their own boss – there's no dress code, and they...

Independent work is a choice that Ms. Johnson and I have made. Not every worker has, or will have,...

Exodus is a story about cruel labor conditions, workers' rights, and strong leaders, making Passover's hero a shop steward...

When you're a freelance worker, it's easy to feel on your own. In reality, you're part of a nation...

Whether you're planning to quit your job and freelance full time or are being forced to earn a living ...

The life of a freelancer -- writer, Web developer, or whatever -- is never easy. Brooke Dixon of Glen...

According to the Freelancers Union, a support and advocacy group, one-third of the workforce can be considered independent --...

The values of this generation of independent-minded workers aren't wild and new. Instead, they represent a return to the...

The City Council is putting up an initial $100,000 to help build the Freelancers Union's first clinic to be...

As soon as this summer, the Freelancers Union plans to open a health clinic in Brooklyn which could eventually...

In her state-of-the-city address last month, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is expected to run for mayor, announced...

The Hudson River Valley business community's chorus opposed to the MTA Payroll Tax rang all the way down to ...

In an interview with Inside City Hall's Errol Louis, the founder of Freelancers Union, Sara Horowitz, sounds off about ...

In a way, the Quiet Revolution is a return to the basics, with a focus on community, health, ecology,...

Freelancers Union, a national membership group of independent workers, was awarded $59.48 million in low- and no-interest federal loans...

Seven organizations will receive a total of $639 million in federal low-interest loans to launch new, consumer-governed health insurance...

Freelancers CO-OP of Oregon, one of only seven so far to receive the competitive loans, is sponsored by Freelancers ...

A small local insurance company will receive federal loans to serve low-income people in the region who make too...

As a freelance art director without employer-sponsored health insurance, Anthony Scerri couldn't afford doctors' visits and medications to treat...

For those without jobs, the monthly unemployment numbers are just a reminder of the struggle to find work...and the...

An open letter to the White House on behalf of the growing independent workforce of freelancers and start-ups.

In this country, three subjects that are guaranteed to generate a heated debate are religion, politics and, you guessed...

In a way, the Quiet Revolution is a return to the basics, with a focus on community, health, ecology,...

In the early 20th century, a landscape of new institutions – including the early labor unions and hundreds of civil...

Sara Horowitz was working as a lawyer, didn't qualify for health insurance because she was considered a "freelancer," and started ...

An estimated 44 percent of the country's 42 million independent workers experienced payment problems last year, according to a study...

Like the Eight-Hour Day Movement, Occupy Wall Street is pointing to the future of what our economy will look like.

As turmoil continues to shake the global economy, many ask, Who got us into this mess? Companies that were...

The 74,000 square feet of space that Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey secured on Varick Street, not far from...

Sara Horowitz, founder and chief executive of Freelancers Union, argues that the jobless future is already here. She points...

Many years ago, Freelancers Union ran ads on the NYC subway that read, "Welcome to Middle-Class Poverty" - a...

This may be the start of a "new mutualism movement" that will be very different from traditional trade unionism,...

More Americans are tripping into the world of contract work and out of the traditional workplace. Some 42 million...

If the President is serious about reviving the jobs market, he needs to accept - and get the country...

Coming together in unions is another right attached to a job and not available to independent workers, meaning they...

Freelancers, independent contractors, consultants, day laborers working off the books for cash, contingent workers, temps, virtual assistants, free agents.

Today, careers consist of piecing together various types of work, juggling multiple clients, learning to be marketing and accounting...

With the job market still soft, many people have turned to contract or freelance work to pay the bills,...

The number of so-called contingent workers hasn't been measured since 2005, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics last calculated...

Some 40 percent of companies surveyed said money owed from customers, a.k.a. receivables, is coming in more slowly. Meanwhile,...

"This is a huge issue," says Sara Horowitz, executive director at Freelancers Union, a non-profit group that includes self-employed...

Alumni associations aren't the only option: Since 2009, the Freelancers Union has operated a health-care company that serves 23,000...

Most freelancers will need help, says Sara Horowitz, founder of Freelancers Union, a nonprofit organization. Some of the steps...

Under the Obama health plan, it's supposed to get easier to find and keep affordable insurance if you leave...

In 2008, the New York City Occupational Employment Statistics officially tallied 1,200 fine artists, 1,470 dancers and 5,820 actors.

As the economy struggles to create jobs, more workers are striking out on their own during the economic downturn...

New job figures released Friday might have been more meager than most economists had expected, but at least one...

What does $34,000 mean to a New Yorker? For Saldana it meant the difference between being able to send...

The Freelancers Union is out with a release this morning crowing that their top priority candidates all won on...

Folks like Leonard Lamkin are part of an emerging, re-shaped freelance work force. Lamkin, 58, started doing independent contract...

Lancaster Advertising in Lewisville, Texas, used to have 15 employees, two office buildings and a loss on its balance...

A study by a Rutgers University economist revealed that 42 percent of New York State's 900,000 independent workers had...

This week on Need to Know, we bring you a special hour-long focus on jobs, with an in-depth look...

For two years, Wendy Friedman has tried to collect the $15,000 she says she's owed for designing sweaters. She's...

A bicoastal film and TV production company that works with "The Real Housewives of New York City" and "Inside...

With 14 primary endorsements and another 25 general election endorsements to be released on Wednesday, the Freelancers Union is...

Almost every company in America is outsourcing at least part of its work–but not always getting the results it...

Labor advocate Sara Horowitz, M.P.A. ’95, saw the trend coming more than a decade ago and founded the national...

Freelancers can face difficulties with one of the most rewarding aspects of their work: getting paid. Now new legislation...

The daughter – and granddaughter – of union activists, Ms. Horowitz is taking labor advocacy into the digital age...

The economy lost some 2.5 million full time jobs in the past year. Independent contractors and temps have helped...

The American social safety net delivers most of its benefits, such as pensions and health care, through the workplace...

For New York business consultant Christopher Santini, the pursuit for payment from one client has practically become a second...

The fast-growing Freelancers Union launched a campaign last week against deadbeat companies so writers, aspiring actors, graphic designers, health...

With it becoming more difficult to find full-time jobs, freelancing options are becoming more popular. "About 10 years ago...

Video: Founder of the Freelancers Union Sara Horowitz explains why the self-employed are a bigger factor in today's economy.

Time magazine predicted earlier this year that by 2019, up to 40 percent of the workforce will be independent...

It is time for our country to reform the healthcare system in a way that doesn’t alienate a specific ...

For the first time, the Freelancers Union has injected itself into city elections, and so far it has ...

To get paid, freelance workers may have to become collections agents—especially now. As some companies struggle to pay full-time...

City freelancers have reason to celebrate the breaking of the State Senate logjam on Friday. Among the bills passed...

As unemployed Americans struggle to find full-time work, many will have to settle for positions that are easier to...

Mayor Bloomberg has joined forces with Freelancers Union to push the state Legislature to reduce or eliminate the Unincorporated...

Sara Horowitz of the Freelancers Union suggests it's time for new ways of tracking, and helping, the nation's self-employed.

Executive Director Sara Horowitz discusses what an unemployment system for the self-employed might look like. That's just one of...

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the Freelancers Union will work to develop a federal unemployment ...

If the labour movement is to prosper, it must adopt different strategies and find ways to be relevant to...

Listen to host Neal Conan, Sara Horowitz, executive director of Freelancers Union, and Tina Brown of The Daily Beast...

From Wall Street through Silicon Alley; from Times Square to Columbus Circle; the New York City economy is on...

The self-employed are traditionally left without an official safety net and are out of luck if work dries up. ...

The future is one in which tying your identity to the companies you work for is getting more and...

One proposal, to reduce or eliminate the unincorporated business tax for 17,000 filers, was immediately applauded by the Freelancers...

Among several ideas . . . was the mayor’s proposal to eliminate or reduce the Unincorporated Business Tax. The...

The new company will administrate health benefits directly to city-based members, functioning as an arm of the union, which...

Contract workers, sometimes known as freelancers or independent contractors, face a special set of problems when it comes to...

The nonprofit organization has wielded its buying power to secure decent group rates from insurers ...

In mid November the New York City based nonprofit Freelancers Union announced that they were cutting out the middleman ...

As part of her vision to create a safety net for freelancers, Ms. Horowitz had long dreamed of creating...

The Freelancers Union has launched a health ...

As the economy takes a down-turn, more and more full-time employees are being fired; and more and more companies...

A labor attorney with a background in union organizing, [Sara] Horowitz said the idea to grow the group's political...

Find your community. . . . Says [Sara] Horowitz, "Your network is good for support—and to help you through...

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, an 80,000-member group based in Brooklyn that provides health and disability insurance...

There is lots of talk in progressive policy circles that we need a “New New Deal” or some other...

Ed Ott, the executive director of the New York City Central Labor Council . . . sees two working...

A number of nonprofit organizations are springing up to replicate the group-...

Of New York City’s 1.2 million uninsured in 2005-06, 27% were young adults ...

So how to independently buy insurance and avoid paying a fortune? . . . Join the Freelancers Union. Or ...

Many readers shared recommendations based on where they buy their insurance. . . . Another possibility for consultants and...

From 2002 through 2005, the number of self-employed creative freelancers in Brooklyn increased 33.2 percent, ...

Listen online: Coverage of a panel discussion sponsored by the Center for an Urban Future, where Sara Horowitz spoke...

Watch online: Part of NOW's "Enterprising Ideas" series, this episode focuses on Freelancers Union's efforts to update the social ...

For the one-third of the American workforce that freelances in some form, the traditional union model was no longer...

Listen online: Many companies are now hiring freelance workers to toil indefinitely with no promise of future benefits or...

Where's the safety net for people working outside the corporate umbrella? Nobody spends more time pondering such questions than ...

[Renting] space in a communal office [is] an increasingly popular option for those who can afford it. According to...

Listen online: With freelancing and consulting on the rise, Marketplace's Ashley Milne-Tyte learns about the growing movement among the...

"'I've never seen people in this part of the workforce walk off their jobs like this," [Sara Horowitz] says...

The walkout highlighted the concerns of a category of workers who are sometimes called permalancers: permanent freelancers who work...

Freelancers Union Executive Director Sara Horowitz appears as a guest on the NPR talk show.

Sara Horowitz, founder and director of the Freelancers Union . . . says something needs to change, because the...

"If workers’ benefits weren’t tied to employers, then they could transition into independent status without fear of losing their...

As presidential candidates roll out new health-care plans that rely on employers and government, they might ...

Already missed the 63-day window to getting an individual policy without exclusions? Start by checking to see if an...

In June, the Freelancers Union, a national nonprofit that represents consultants, independent contractors, part-timers, ...

The addition in recent years of hundreds of thousands of self-...

If you're one of the growing number of people who work for yourself or can't get health insurance through...

The UBT steals productive time and money from small businesses - the lifeblood of New York City's economy. Small...

Soaring health care costs can put you in a dangerous position financially, as well as physically. Getting into a ...

One option is coverage through reputable trade associations and other groups. According to Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers...

The founder and executive director of the Freelancers Union, which represents 50,000 independent workers in the city, Sara Horowitz,...

Sara Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union, said independent workers such as graphic designers and dancers are as middle-class...

There was a time when a health plan symbolized something-you were making it-but now benefits are scarce at many...

There are unions now that don't fit the traditional mold. The Freelancers Union, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., doesn't bargain...

Watch the segment online.

Listen online to an interview with Freelancers Union founder Sara Horowitz.

A former labor lawyer, Ms. Horowitz intends to form a forceful advocacy group for freelancers and independent contractors, the...

One of the biggest challenges for the self-employed is health insurance. Almost 60 ...

An audio interview with Freelancers Union founder Sara Horowitz.

A sort of union for independent workers. At its ...

Not for nothing has Ms Horowitz been described as the 'quintessential example' of a social entrepreneur--someone ...

We are working with other groups, such as the National Employment Lawyers Association (nela.org) and the Freelancers' Union (freelancersunion.org)...

Sara's mission is to protect the interests of the newest member of the labor family: independent workers, who make...

If, for many people, talk of "performing artists" conjures up images of, say, Jodie Foster at the Oscars (or,...

It's no secret . . . that the tax code is especially hard on free-lancers of all kinds. ...

Free-lancer workers, a scattered but growing portion of the labor force, now have a labor advocate ...

The first thing you need to know about Sara Horowitz is that she loves insurance. She loves the philosophy...

Working Today looks poised to be a model for delivering health insurance and other benefits in a new way,...