Seniors Make Up a Large Chunk of Florida's Gig Workers

Many seniors in Florida are working part-time freelance jobs with the likes of Uber, Postmates, and other technology services, reports the Tampa Bay Times . University of Chicago Professor Dmitri Koustas said demand for transportation services like Uber or Lyft has declined during the pandemic, but interest in delivery services like Shipt or Instacart is on the rise. He explained that workers ages 55 to 75 constitute about 27 percent of gig and contract work and 11 percent in new online platforms, according to the latest tax data. Meanwhile, a study by the JPMorgan Chase Institute found that more than 400,000 seniors held some type of part-time job on online platforms in 2017. AARP Florida Director Jeff Johnson said gig jobs appeal to baby boomers, especially retirees without pensions or savings. Their attractive qualities include flexible hours, autonomy, and a lack of ageism.