Uber Eats Settles With Seattle Over Gig Worker Pay Dispute

SEATTLE — Supply service Uber Eats can pay $3.3 million to greater than 10,000 staff to settle allegations that it failed to offer required pay in sure situations as required by Seattle’s pandemic-era “premium pay” ordinance for gig staff.

The non permanent guidelines had been enacted in June 2020 and can expire with the ending of the COVID-19 emergency declaration on the finish of the month. They require on-line meals supply providers to offer staff with at the very least $2.50 in further pay per order that’s picked up or dropped off inside Seattle.

Seattle’s Workplace of Labor Requirements alleged that Uber Eats failed to offer the required pay when prospects canceled or places had been closed upon arrival, or when deliveries had been made out of sure drug shops. Labor officers additionally alleged Uber Eats paid staff $0.025 per order, as an alternative of $2.50, for 2 weeks this yr, which the corporate blamed on a software program glitch.

“Because the begin of the COVID-19 pandemic, gig staff have performed a key position in Seattle’s economic system and need to have protections resembling premium pay,” mentioned Steven Marchese, the OLS director. “This settlement impacted probably the most gig staff of any of our investigations of the Gig Employee Premium Pay Ordinance — greater than ten thousand gig staff in complete.”

Beneath the settlement, an estimated 10,467 staff will obtain a mixed $3.3 million, and Uber Eats can pay Seattle greater than $2,500 in fines. OLS officers mentioned the settlement is the biggest ensuing from violations of the premium pay ordinance.