35% of U.S. Workers Lack a Durable Employment Bargain
MIT Sloan professor Paul Osterman argues that roughly 35% of U.S. workers occupy “disposable” jobs—through contracting, organizational freelancing, or marginal W-2 employment—that leave them outside a durable employer commitment to training, benefits, and advancement. In his account, firms use these arrangements to cut costs and preserve flexibility, while contractors and marginal employees report lower earnings, satisfaction, and attachment to their organizations than standard employees. Osterman argues that training can improve individual options, but changing the system requires stronger classification rules, labor standards, benefits, and bargaining power.
The Aspen Institute·Sep 15, 2026·14 min read
