Precarious Professionals: The Reasons for and Impact of Contingency Staffing on Personnel, Programs and Policies in Human Service Organizations
While contingency workers typically are associated with the gig economy, an increasing number are found within health, education, and welfare sector labor markets. This presentation calls attention to how over 40 years of neo-liberal policies essentially have undermined resources for and the legitimacy of these sectors with a particular focus on human service organizations and their use of contingent workers to provide essential services. Using interview data from a pilot study on contingent human service professionals, discussion focuses on the reasons for and consequences of using contingent staff to provide programs and services for not only the workers but for the organizations as well. Systemically, the precarity that results from this arrangement further erodes the human service sector.
Dr. Cheryl A. Hyde is Associate Professor in the School of Social Work (College of Public Health) at Temple University.