There is a growing trend in today?s workforce of replacing traditional payroll jobs with independent contractors. This change can help to explain why few jobs are being created, even as the economy continues to grow. There is disagreement as to whether this is a temporary phenomenon or a lasting change, however most economists predict that as the economy continues to strengthen, more employers will hire traditional full-time workers. Independent contract work can give people greater freedom and flexibility but it also denies them the security and employer-provided benefits of a traditional job.
See "'A New Kind of Workforce' Emerges", Nell Henderson and Kirstin Downey, The Washington Post, January 26, 2004