Based on data from the supplement to the February 1995 Current Population Survey, contingent workers were more likely to be female, black, young, enrolled in school, and employed in services and construction industries than were noncontingent workers. More than 10% were teachers. (Author)

Explores the effect of contingent and alternative employment on individuals' positions in the labor market. Examines the importance of these arrangements and investigates the preferences of contingent and alternative workers regarding their arrangements and their reasons for being in that type of employment arrangement. (JOW)

Discusses the definitions of contingent workers and alternative work arrangements used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to analyze data, and presents aggregate estimates of the number of workers in each group. Discusses the overlap between contingent workers and workers in alternative arrangements. (Author/JOW)