Unregulated work in the global city

Drawing on intensive research conducted between 2003 and 2006, this report documents for the first time the landscape of unregulated work in New York City, identifying the types of laws that employers are violating, the range of industries that are most deeply involved, the variety of business strategies that result in violations, and the workers who are most affected. Using standard social science protocols, we integrated qualitative, quantitative and archival research: (a) in-depth interviews with 326 individuals, including workers, employers, staff members of regulatory agencies, service providers, unions and community-based organizations; (b) analysis of labor market datasets, as well as data on enforcement efforts by government agencies obtained through the Freedom of Information Act; and (c) analysis of hundreds of documents from newspaper sources, industry publications, business associations, and academic journals.