4.3 percent of workers had jobs that were temporary or not expected to last in July 2023

In July 2023, there were 6.9 million workers whose sole or main job was contingent. Contingent jobs are those that people do not expect to last or that are temporary. These workers do not have an implicit or explicit contract for ongoing employment in their jobs. The contingent rate, the percentage of employed people who are in contingent jobs, was 4.3 percent in July 2023. In May 2017, the last time the survey was conducted, 3.8 percent of workers held contingent jobs.

The contingent rates for men and women on their sole or main job were about the same (4.3 percent and 4.2 percent, respectively).

Younger workers were four times more likely to have contingent jobs than older workers. The contingent rate for workers ages 16 to 24 was 12.9 percent, compared with 3.1 percent for those ages 25 to 54 and 2.6 percent for those age 55 and older.

Among the major race and ethnicity groups, White (4.1 percent) and Black (3.9 percent) workers were less likely to be contingent than Asian (5.9 percent) and Hispanic or Latino (6.0 percent) workers. While overall men and women were about equally likely to be contingent, among Hispanic workers, men were more likely to be contingent than women (6.6 percent versus 5.2 percent).

These data are from the Current Population Survey and refer to a person’s sole or main job. For more information and for data on the contingent status of second jobs for multiple job holders, see "Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements — July 2023” and answers to frequently asked questions. Workers of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity may be of any race.