What is piece work?

Piece work is when an employer pays a worker a fixed-rate per completion of duties rather than an hourly rate. This method is commonly used for those who work at home, such as with freelance writers. Rather than documenting time worked, a previously agreed upon payment is received when the contracted writing is delivered. In some manufacturing factories, workers assemble a product and must meet a quota while getting paid per finished unit. This method of payment encourages efficient production and time management by the worker.