Uber Considers Compensating Drivers Affected by Coronavirus
March 06 2020 - 8:11PM
Dow Jones News
By Preetika Rana
Uber Technologies Inc. said it is considering compensating
drivers affected by coronavirus as pressure mounts on companies to
provide broader employment benefits to gig workers.
An Uber spokeswoman said Friday the ride-sharing giant "is
exploring compensation for drivers who have been quarantined or
diagnosed with coronavirus, whether independently, through a fund,
or in partnership with peer companies." Uber wouldn't say whether
any of its drivers have been quarantined or diagnosed with the
virus, but said infections hadn't spread between drivers or riders
"to the best of our knowledge."
Earlier Friday, Sen. Mark Warner (D., Va.) wrote to the chief
executives of several U.S. tech companies, including Uber, calling
on them to commit "that economic uncertainty will not be deterrents
to their workers following public health guidance."
California, which accounts for 9% of Uber's bookings, last year
passed a law aimed at reclassifying the company's drivers as
employees, eligible for benefits such as health insurance, sick
days and minimum wage. Uber has maintained it doesn't need to
reclassify drivers.
Uber has joined hands with other companies whose operations rely
on gig workers and raised over $110 million for a ballot initiative
this year asking that state voters exempt them from the statute.
The ballot measure promises other protections to gig workers that
currently don't exist, such as health-care subsidies for drivers
who work 15 hours or more a week.
Write to Preetika Rana at preetika.rana@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 06, 2020 19:56 ET (00:56 GMT)
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