I am an essential worker and receive no benefits.
I drive Grubhub. I represent the gig workers, also known as independent contractors. Like many, I am also approved for DoorDash, Postmates, Uber and Lift as well. All of these are considered Essential Services. For that reason, I must continue to work in the middle of a global health crisis, putting myself at risk on a daily basis, so that everyone can have food on their tables, and I can continue to have food on mine. Gig workers do not get the luxury of working from home, taking a leave of absence, hazard pay, paid time off to take care for loved ones, nor can we receive unemployment benefits.
Many of us work in gig or contract work because that is all that is available to us. I am 62 years old, with an Associate degree as well as a Bachelors degree. I’ve worked in many fields from cashier to Certified Hypnotist and Licensed Massage Therapist. Now, I am too old to hire, too young to retire. We are people who are retired and need extra income, people living with disabilities and need flexible schedule, single parents working during school hours and people in my same position. We still expose ourselves to the hazard without adequate pay or protections every day for the public’s well being.
“The stress of dealing with the pandemic brings its own health problems.”
As I mentioned earlier, we don’t receive hazard pay, or paid time off to take care of loved ones. Should we get sick with COVID-19, our benefits are limited to 2 weeks with the notification of infection by a licensed physician, regardless of how long it takes to heal, and even then we have to wait 2 pay periods before receiving any financial help. This is an impossible delay for many of us already struggling to pay rent and other expenses. COVID-19 is not the only health hazard we face during these times. The stress of dealing with the pandemic brings its own health problems. I now have daily headaches, digestive problems, a sense of hopelessness, and am developing symptoms of clinical depression. My knee has three fluid pockets around it preventing me from working more than 3–4 hours a day, and yet I cannot afford to take time off to heal. I know I am not alone. We all face the stress of meeting the public’s needs. They call us essential and much needed, but it is only lip service. Why haven’t our state and local politicians passed policies like hazard pay and paid sick leave that would support our essential work?
“All workers, including gig workers, deserve dignity by way of paid sick leave and hazard pay.”
Because gig economy workers are classified as independent contractors, we are left without any kinds of benefits ‘traditional jobs’ are mandated to offer. It is the Big Corporations’ way of ensuring that they get to get as much work from us as possible with almost no price to do business. Our base pay is approximately $3 per trip from the company, with the remainder of our pay coming from tips. Should the customer choose not to tip, then the cost of the delivery comes out of the delivery driver’s pocket. Unlike restaurants that pay servers who make less than the minimum wage, our employers don’t make up the difference if we don’t make the hourly minimum wage during our shifts. Sometimes, we end up paying to deliver your food to you. In addition to the $3/trip, we get 22 cents per mile that does little to pay for the gas used to drive to the restaurant, pick up the order, and drive to the diner’s residence. It certainly doesn’t pay for the wear and tear on our vehicles, which also must come out of our pockets. And yet with such erratic pay, we still drive. One week, I may make $500, the next I am lucky to bring home $200 all the while putting myself and my family at risk of exposure. All workers, including gig workers, deserve dignity by way of paid sick leave and hazard pay. Please show us that we are important enough to warrant a decent pay and sick leave for the risks we take on a daily basis. This heavy burden placed on drivers is not sustainable. Without supportive policies, essential workers like me won’t be able to continue to provide the services that our community relies on. Now is the time to show gig workers that you value and respect us! We deserve nothing less.
