Permalancing

Sometimes freelance gigs turn into full-time work – shouldn’t “permalancers” get benefits?

As the number of self-employed workers rises, new kinds of roles have emerged. Meet the “permalancer”, a worker who sits somewhere between a regular staffer and a freelancer. Rather than hustling for every new project, permalancers often have a longer-term contract with a primary client. Time commitments can vary; it might be one day a week or the full 40 hours.

There are upsides – regular income and, potentially, a foot in the door for a more formal role. Permalancers often work remotely and can enjoy the freedom to choose their own schedules.

But Urban Dictionary puts it more bluntly: “Permalance: A freelance position that turns into a full-time job without benefits.” Permalancing comes with no holidays, pensions or long-term guarantees. If times are bad, permalancers are disposable. Employers have also been criticised for advertising full-time office-based roles as “freelance” to keep costs down.

Permalancing is most common in tech industries, including giants like Google, as well as in creative industries like media and journalism. But sometimes there’s a backlash: publisher Conde Nast ended up issuing a clarification about an advertised full-time “freelance” role after drawing the wrath of social media.

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Image credit: Piero Zagami and Michela Nicchiotti.