While a hostile office environment and impossible workload are bad enough, “ageism” has also become a near-constant threat that workers need to know the signs of. Employees have legal rights and if an employer is making decisions seemingly based off a worker’s age — and not their capabilities — it’s time to step up. This action can mean taking proactive efforts to find freelance work via QuiGig, a new job platform that will pair talented workers with contract-based gigs from around the world.

According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), “two out of three workers between ages 45 and 74 say they have seen or experienced age discrimination at work, and job seekers over age 35 cite it as a top obstacle to getting hired.” Why does ageism exist in the first place? Some companies seek cheap labor that typically comes in the form of recent college graduates. Others want to passively show older employees the door as new technology in the office continues to go over their heads.

“The law prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, benefits, and any other term or condition of employment,” according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which also offers ways to report suspected discrimination in the workplace. Conversely, some young workers will be passed over when high-profile work comes along because an older employee with more seniority can lay claim to it first. These same people who’ve fallen victim to the axe of ageism could easily find freelance work if only they had a place to do so — which is exactly what QuiGig is offering.

Why should talented professionals turn to freelance gigs as a way to keep their skills sharp?

• If suspected age discrimination has cost you a job, taking your skills to the freelance sector can help you sustain a source of income while you contest the decision.
• QuiGig, which is currently running an introductory registration period, will allow freelancers to complete rewarding work while investors can now pick up the platform’s “Quig” utility tokens at a discount. The tokens can be sold back to platform users at a later date to satisfy demand.
• The services you performed at your previous job can likely parlay into the freelance sector. This means you’ll be able to keep updating your resume with relevant work if you intend to seek full-time employment once again.

Recent studies have found that a freelancer working the equivalent of a full-time job was earning about $19 an hour. Should you recently find yourself out of work or struggling to stay productive during the daily job hunt, QuiGig’s upcoming launch will prove to be the perfect stop-gap — or even a long-term solution.

About QuiGig: QuiGig will be the instrumental addition to the gig-based economy that allows this field to finally take off. To arrange an interview with QuiGig to discuss the company’s freelance sector plans, please contact Greg Adomaitis at [email protected]