Independent workers make up about 45% of the U.S. workforce, according to a 2023 report by MBO Partners, a platform dedicated to their needs. That's more than 72 million Americans altogether, with nearly 30 million of them working independently full-time. This misclassification could lead to a loss in income, ineligibility for state and federal unemployment systems and so on. Nearly 10% of independent contractors make less than $7.25 per hour, according to the National Employment Law Project. A new rule change under the Fair Labor Standards Act, set to take effect on March 11, is aimed at curbing this misclassification.

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Persons: Sally Dworak, Fisher, Samantha Sanders Organizations: MBO Partners, National Employment Law, Economic, Institute, Fair Labor Locations: NELP