contractor

Freelancers like to work how and when they want. But that flexibility entails more than a few downfalls. A new Freelancers Union's report shows 81% of independents had little or no work, 40% had trouble collecting wages from clients, and 39% had either cut back or ended health coverage.

A new study by New York-based Freelancers Union highlights the lack of health care, insurance and other benefits that most full-time employees take for granted. And it calls for a series of reforms to put this vital part of the labor force on equal footing with other working Americans.

USAToday has found a couple in the San Francisco suburbs who had a contractor come knocking on their door offering to remove a tree -- at a discount."[Darien} Destino and her husband, Don, recently had their 3,000-square-foot home painted by the same contractor who bid 40 percent more for the job...

I always find it interesting to see which occupations and markets survive and prosper when the economy gets tough. My interest is likely linked to my fascination with the way certain creatures adapt to weather changes in climates and environments. Along those lines, I was fascinated when MSNBC ran...