The article is devoted to the problems of social processes researches connected with the emergence of new social strata — precariat. The characteristic of precariat was represented, also reasons and sources of its organization was submitted: such as informal employment, unfair distribution of revenues between labor and capital, unfair distribution of funds between management and labor itself, modern development forces growth, in particular, digital technologies. The possible consequences of its growth and development are described. The influence of the precariat on social and labor relations and the labor behavior of workers is substantiated. The main ways and approaches to the formation of a methodology for studying interaction of precariat with social and labor relations are outlined. The presented material can be used in the development of methods for conducting research on the problems of transforming the social structure of modern society.