近年來，透過線上接案平台加入網路自由工作者行列的人已大幅增加。雖然這些平台指出它們能夠在高薪行業吸引高教育水準的工作者，但沒有明確證據指出這些工作者的經濟狀況與非自由工作者是否相等。本研究旨在透過實證資料探討自由工作者是否更能遭遇經濟困難，以及造成經濟困難的原因。研究中透過問卷調查自由工作者與非自由工作者，以衡量他們在新型冠狀肺炎疫情期間所經歷的財務困境之情況與程度。此外，我們亦要求自由工作者提供其使用不同自由工作平台的資訊，及他們在媒合與執行工作時面對相關挑戰的頻率，以更準確描述此行業。研究結果指出，自由工作產業是一個不斷成長的就業市場，也能夠吸引受過良好教育的人才，儘管受過高等教育的工作者覺得此產業的吸引力相對較低。此外，我們亦發現，雖然自由工作者較常經歷收入不穩定，也更可能透過貸款來支付日常開銷及費用，因此需要承受更多的財務壓力，但自由工作者並不會更常經歷到居住或飲食等基本民生需求上的不安全感，自由工作也不會影響這些工作者儲蓄的能力。

A growing segment of the population is joining the online freelancing
workforce. Platforms report that they are able to attract educated workers in
high-paying industries however there is no clear evidence that these workers are doing
as well financially as their non-freelancing equivalent. Considering the numerous
challenges that plague online freelancing platforms, the goal of this study is to answer
the following question: “Are freelancers more likely to experience financial
hardships?”
Our study is designed as a questionnaire polling freelancers and non-freelancers
to measure to which degree they experience different symptoms of financial distress.
Additionally, freelancers were asked to provide information about their use of different
platforms and how often they experience challenges related to the freelancing industry,
with the goal to paint a more accurate picture of this industry.
Collected data indicates that the industry can be accurately depicted as a
growing segment that is also able to attract educated talent, although highly educated
workers may find the activity less attractive. However, our research finds that
freelancers are disproportionately more likely to experience income instability and
more likely to take on loans to cover usual expenses. In spite of this, freelancers are not
more likely to experience housing insecurity, food insecurity and are not less able to
save money.
This indicates that while freelancers are subject to more financial stress in the
form of income instability and an increased need for loans, it does not impact their
ability to constitute savings nor does it impact their ability to cover basic necessities
such as housing and food.

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