Future of work

This article reports that between February and April 2020, aggregate hours worked by self-employed individuals fell by 57% among the unincorporated, and by 52% among the incorporated. In comparison, aggregate hours worked by paid employees in the private sector fell by 33% and in the public sector by 17%. This article emphasizes, however, that self-employed individuals are a diverse group not easily characterized. Since the data is far from ideal, before developing any long-term policy or support programs for this segment of the Canadian workforce, we need to better understand the workflow, incomes and behavioural responses of self-employed people. So far, the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) has been an important source of support during the pandemic, particularly for those with no employees.