Assessment 1: Group Essay

English Group
Group Members
Topic Gig economy

Group Essay Outline

Introduction Hook: “There has been some real significant growth and raises some interesting
question about how much of this gig economy growth will stick after this
experience” (Freudenstein, n.d., as cited in Actuaries Institute, 2020)

Background Information:
- Labour market distinguished from working short term temporary jobs
- Consist of independent workers; face severe ethical issues: unfair dismissal
- Currently fast-growing economy

Thesis Statement (Complete Sentence):

This essay will discuss the reason surrounding gig economy during Covid-19 as it
provides people with independent jobs and the ethical issue present which is unfair
dismissal for workers. Also, one solution is considered for this ethical issue which is
to have employees acknowledged in their job.

Plan of Development:
- Reason for support: aided us during covid-19 pandemic
- Ethical issue: unfair worker conditions; unfair dismissal of workers, physical
and emotional distress
- Solution: changing worker’s terms; treating them as employees,
organizational structure, acknowledgement of workers
Body Topic Sentence (Complete Sentence): Firstly, the biggest supporting factor of the
Paragraph 1 gig economy is that it aided the public immensely during the spread of covid-19.

Explanation:
- Restricted from leaving the house
- Work from home; shop online
- Difficulty in doing everyday task: buying groceries/eating

Evidence and Explanation 1:

 Increased employment based on DaVinci Payments (Bowman, 2021; Willow,
2019)
 Flexible work nature: (Willow,2019)
 persuading the change in workers
 Leave normal day job to work in gig economy
 Secondary income: (Willow,2019)
 General fall in national economy
 Increase in part time jobs + jobs within gig economy
 Earn income to get by during covid 19

Evidence and Explanation 2:

 Encouraged people to stay at home (Bowman, 2021; Willow, 2019)
 Utilised technology to make economic decisions (Naughton, 2020)
 Decreased the risk of infections
 grab deliveries and online shopping
 Workers aim to provide a service (Bowman, 2021)
 Harsh pandemic times
  Aim to convenience people

Linking Sentence:
 (Hence) Gig economy played a significant role in convenience of people lives
during covid 19
 Increase employment for working population
 Encourage households to stay indoors
 Lower the risk of infections
Body Topic Sentence (Complete Sentence): However, one of the ethical issues that
Paragraph 2 surround gig economy is that workers are being dismissed unfairly.

Explanation:
 Exploitation
 Lack protection
 Rights and sick leave
 No minimum wage rates
 Effect their mental health

Evidence and Explanation 1:

 Lacking in social and legal protection (Aggarwal & Floridi,2020;
Willow,2019)
 Workers are vulnerable, not stable, insecure
 Not making minimum wage rate (Willow,2019)
 No employment rights (Actuaries Institute, 2020)
 No benefits-pension, sick leave, paid holiday, resulting in
unfairness

Evidence and Explanation 2:

 Dehumanising elements-belittling (Willow,2019)
 Leading to mental health issues
 Anxiety
 Pressure
 Self-esteem decreases

Linking Sentence:
 (From this) numerous reasons
 To be pessimistic about gig economy
 Potential solution available
 Help ease the issue

Body Topic Sentence (Complete Sentence): On the contrary, government and corporation
Paragraph 3 should work together and improve as well as recognizing the prospects of
development of gig economy.

Explanation:
 Reasonable treatment equivalent as dependent employees
 Fixed contraction; providing further benefits
 Government recognizing prospects of gig economy

Evidence and Explanation 1:

 Arguments from partial employees about their treatment (Aggrawal &
Floridi, 2020; Bowman,2021)
  Desiring for deserved benefits
 Periodic health care
 Fixed contraction
 Vacation

Evidence and Explanation 2:

 Policymakers are slowly facing these ethical issues and providing (Aggrawal
and Floridi, 2020)
 Better labour relations
 Building skilled workforce to organization of work
 Gig workers to be classified as dependent employees

Linking Sentence:
 Potential solution-suggested
 Recognition of organizations
 Benefits
 Better treatment

Conclusion Reiteration of Thesis Statement/Concluding Statement:

Therefore, the reason to support the gig economy is that it provided people with
independent jobs during the covid-19. However, it presented an ethical issue of
dismissal of workers, but this can be resolved by accepting workers and prospects of
the gig economy

Summary of Main Points:

 Provide independent jobs- flexibility
 Unfair treatments lead to many complications
 Reasonable treatments- providing benefits

Recommendation/Suggestion/Prediction:
 Government and corporation recognition

References
Actuaries Institute. (Presenter). (2020, December). The rise of the gig economy and its impact
on the Australian workforce [Audio podcast]. https://www.actuaries.asn.au/public-
policy-and-media/thought-leadership/green-papers/the-rise-of-the-gig-economy-and-
its-impact-on-the-australian-workforce
Aggarwal, N., & Floridi, L. (2020, September 10). Tackling the ethical challenges of the gig
economy [Web blog post]. https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/news-events/news/tackling-the-
ethical-challenges-of-the-gig-economy/
Bowman, R. J. (2021, April 19). The gig economy is booming, despite debates over workers’
rights [Web blog post].
https://www.supplychainbrain.com/blogs/1-think-tank/post/32945-the-gig-economy-
is-booming-despite-debates-over-workers-rights
Naughton, J. (2020, November 7). The gig economy is here to stay. Now let’s humanise it. The
Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/07/the-gig-
economy-is-here-to-stay-now-lets-humanise-it