Like most companies, he said, it enlists freelancers with specific skills across a range of capabilities, including AI and analytics. “The pandemic and, more recently, the turbulence in the economy, spurred demand for greater labor flexibility both among employers and workers,” Mr. Herbert said. Sebastián Siseles, a vice president at Freelancer.com, said freelance work also allows IT job seekers—especially younger workers—to reduce the risk of being dependent on a single employer. By adapting to remote work during the pandemic, employers “opened the window” to hiring more freelancers, Mr. Siseles said. Many tech-enabled companies such as Uber Technologies Inc., Lyft Inc. and DoorDash Inc., which rely heavily on gig workers, have opposed similar efforts in the past.

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