Gig Work in the Context of Disability

This study examines the employment obstacles encountered by people with disabilities, particularly in the context of gig work. While recognising the capacity of gig work to offer flexibility for disabled individuals, it highlights that the authentic benefits of such work can only be realised within the social economy sector, under the leadership of non-governmental organisations or social enterprises. The chapter argues that the conventional market-based approach to organising gig work overlooks the intrinsic value of the work of people with disabilities, which lies in promoting their social and professional inclusion. Through an assessment of the consequences of gig work, this section underscores both its benefits and drawbacks, with a particular focus on the connected possibilities and setbacks for individuals with disabilities. In this context, solutions provided by the social economy sector for employing people with disabilities were presented. Cooperative platforms were highlighted as jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprises, offering the same customer services as their commercial counterparts. However, the involvement of employees in the two business models significantly varies due to different objectives, missions and values. Finally, the chapter presents examples of cooperative platforms that aim to cater their services to people with disabilities.