Labor Flexibility comes up in 2 chapters across 1 episode of The Higherside Chats Free Show, in September 2016.
Finland is conducting experiments with basic income to determine if it can increase employment rates by removing the steep "welfare cliffs" that disincentivize work. Currently, individuals receiving multiple benefits like housing assistance and Medicaid may see their total resources drop if they take a minimum wage job. The Finnish model tests whether a guaranteed floor encourages people to accept temporary or contractual labor without fear of losing their survival security.
The sharing economy, led by platforms like Uber and Airbnb, uses technology to make capital like cars and homes more efficient, but it also creates significant labor insecurity. Without an income floor, workers in these flexible markets face high stress regarding rent and basic survival. UBI would provide the necessary stability to make a flexible, on-demand labor market work for the participants rather than against them.
