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In an increasingly fractured economy, opportunities for stable work can feel more elusive. Over the last decade, —or gig work—to both make ends meet and exert control over their working lives. 

The state of Illinois reflects this steep rise in the “gig economy”; data shows that between 2010 and 2023, the number of gig workers in Illinois increased by 168 percent, with Cook County hosting the largest number of gig workers among Illinois counties.

CivicSpace, a �鶹������ý Chicago project and nonprofit public policy lab, sought to explore this shift through in-depth, one-on-one interviews with six gig workers living in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago. North Lawndale is characterized by decades of redlining and disinvestment. According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, , and additionally, . Exploring gig work in a segregated, low-income neighborhood like North Lawndale can serve as a microcosm of the larger gig economy, as Black and Hispanic workers make up a disproportionate share of gig workers in the U.S. For instance, for Uber, Lyft, and other online gig work platforms while comprising less than 29 percent of the overall workforce.

These conversations were intended to explore both the positive and negative aspects of gig work. Some of the guiding research questions were: 

• What is life like for gig workers living in North Lawndale? Are there different positives or negatives?
• What do they like about gig work?
• What do they wish they could change about gig work?
• Do they feel like they are able to make ends meet?
• Are they able to plan financially for the future?
• Is there anything regular employees have that they wish they had access to?

Although the circumstances and sectors of gig work varied with each interviewee, there were commonalities that wove throughout each interview. Three early results surfaced. 

Need for a Network to Share Information and Support

One is the desire for community in their work. As gig work tends to lack the formality of coworkers that come along with a more traditional workplace, each interviewee discussed the process of building out informal coworker networks of gig workers operating in the same areas, such as ridesharing or petcare. These networks operate as both a helpful resource for referrals, but also an informal warning system of certain employers to avoid. 

“We do get to share [with other gig workers], and this experience is useful because you get just to know that you’re not alone and also know how to handle some situations just from hearing someone talk.”

-Maryjune, food delivery driver and caregiver

Accountability and Workplace Protections

Another shared sentiment amongst the interviewees was the desire for a more formalized system of accountability for employers, particularly people using apps like Uber or DoorDash. Nearly all gig workers we spoke with mentioned the frustration of employers withholding compensation and having no easy recourse to challenge those decisions. Although Illinois did pass the Freelance Worker Protection Act, effective after July 2024, which provides stipulations for freelancer contracts and safeguards against employers withholding payments, the fact that gig workers are still struggling with unsafe working conditions and fickle payment systems suggests that more publicization of the FWPA is needed.  

“Sometimes you do a task, then someone just disappears with your money. They’re not willing to pay, they’re not even picking up your calls. It’s a bit frustrating.” 

-Vivian, petcare provider 

Flexibility in Scheduling

When reflecting on what they like about gig work, all interviewees highlighted the benefits of maintaining a flexible work schedule. They mentioned the fact that they can manage their burnout by pulling back on work after particularly busy periods, or when they are especially fatigued. This malleability in scheduling also allows for the ability to juggle other aspects of life such as school or childcare with more ease than they would have in a traditional nine to five. This mirrored what our team had heard in our previous community listening session with gig workers. 

“It offers personal freedom to schedule your work according to your wishes when you need and when you feel you’re most likely to be productive and also creates room to develop other skills that could result in better income and more security.”

-Rodney, online tutor and delivery driver

The fact that the same issues (as well as upsides, such as flexibility in scheduling) arose for each interviewee, in our previous research with gig workers, and outside research from other sources suggests that these issues may be common for gig workers in Chicago and beyond. Illinois is one of the first states to institute protections for gig workers through the . Additionally, a bill that would give has passed both the Senate and the General Assembly as of June 26th.

However, the fact remains that the gig workers we spoke with feel they lack financial safety and security in their day-to-day lives. With more awareness of the newer protections that have been put in place as well as the provision of benefits that more traditional workers enjoy, gig workers could benefit from the elements of contract work that suit them without suffering the loss of fundamental worker protections.