Temporary and contract workers may be the first to start feeling some relief as the recession ebbs. Temporary staffing companies found jobs for more than 52,000 workers in November, the most since 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported this week. For a deeper look at the freelance market, we speak with Sara Horowitz, founder and executive director of Freelancers Union. We also speak with University of Chicago Professor Susan Lambert.

In the Takeaway’s continuing series on underemployment, we take a look at how having to shift to part time work can affect health insurance coverage. As more and more companies cut worker hours, who will cover the medical bills?