Wealth Work Industry Is Growing Fast, but for Workers There Is No Floor

Luz Laguna, a single mother of four, works at least 40 hours a week as an Uber Eats driver. The Long Beach resident says she has worked hard for everything she has and never takes anything for granted.

“I always have to bless myself before I start getting my first order. That way, I can come back to my family,” Laguna said. “I just turned on my app right now. We’ll see how long it takes for me to get my first order.”

As people lost their jobs during the shutdown, gig work soared, but the pandemic also accelerated the inequality gap. That means jobs like Laguna’s are increasingly falling into the category of “wealth work,” or people whose jobs revolve around making the lives of the upper classes more comfortable.