Long-awaited Compensation Presented by Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga
The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, under the leadership of Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga, presented the designated workers with their checks, amounting to $22,338, last week. This payout came after Doordash’s wrongdoing was brought to light through the ongoing investigation. The affected delivery workers expressed their frustration about being abruptly removed from the platform without any explanation and subsequently left uncompensated.
Unanswered Questions and Struggles for Payment
The delivery workers affected by Doordash’s actions recounted their confusion at being suddenly removed from the app. They shared that their attempts to receive payment for their last days of work were futile. Los Deliveristas Unidos received complaints from approximately 200 workers, including Rosendo Tacam, who had been with Doordash for a significant 18-month period before being dropped. These workers’ stories shed light on the challenges faced by gig economy workers who sometimes experience unexplained and unfair treatment by their employers.
Doordash previously released a statement in August, staunchly denying the allegations made against the company and deeming them false and baseless. However, the recent investigation and subsequent compensation payouts have contradicted Doordash’s initial response.
Notably, this victory for delivery workers follows a significant legal battle between delivery apps, such as UberEats and Grubhub, and the implementation of legislation establishing a minimum wage of $17.96 for the industry. Before this legislation was in place, delivery workers earned approximately $11.12 with tips. Without tips, their earnings could be as low as $4.03 per hour, as reported by the city.