Day labor is a precarious form of contingent work where individuals are hired and paid one day at a time, with no promise of future employment and often outside the protection of labor and civil rights laws. Workers find jobs through three main routes: temporary employment agencies, unions (which supply skilled workers for short-term needs), or informally by gathering at street corners and parking lots to be picked up by contractors and homeowners. In the United States, the workforce is overwhelmingly male (98%) and predominantly Latino, with a 2005 UCLA study finding that about 59% are from Mexico, 14% from Guatemala, and 8% from Honduras, and roughly 75% are undocumented, earning an average of $8–$10 an hour. However, this informal work is fraught with problems: research shows that 1 in 3 corner day laborers have experienced wage theft in the past two months, and 1 in 5 have suffered a serious worksite injury in the past year, often without training, protective gear, or medical care. Many workers fear retaliation or immigration consequences for reporting unsafe conditions, though some studies note that day labor is often a transition to full-time work for many US citizens as well. This highlights the deeply vulnerable and unprotected nature of day labor, which persists despite its significant risks.