Daily Beast, Sarah Topol writes about the risks of independent journalists who “are often venturing into danger without the training and equipment afforded full-time staffers, such as helmets, flak jackets, satellite phones, first-aid kits, or even health insurance.” Freelancers who talked with the Columbia Journalism Review’s Alysia Santo acknowledged that news organization may lend a hand in extreme cases, however, most won’t even discuss insurance with their freelancers. “This arrangement,” reports Santo, “leaves freelancers — who are taking personal risks on behalf of news organizations — liable for their own expenses if they’re injured or killed in the line of duty.
How Do We Make Freelance Journalism Sustainable? | Mediashift | PBS
So this isn’t just happening to journalists. Our whole workforce is shifting to freelance/consultant models. Healthcare that isn’t tied to an employer will be some help. Portable retirement accounts are next. Employers are going to have to raise wages or pay for training, is what I expect to happen.
Barbara K Iverson 