I am unsure if this is a wage that workers receive while clocked in maneuvering to "hot zone" activity areas in order to get orders OR if it only applies when a worker has accepted an order. If it is the latter case, then these workers can still receive a sub federal minimum wage if there aren't many orders placed or if the algorithm decides to prioritize one worker over another.<p>Browsing reddit.com/r/ubereatsdrivers and /r/ubereats has led me to believe that the majority of these workers spend their time waiting between orders and that they will not receive an order waiting in a stationary location for too long (i.e. they could be ready+willing to accept an order for hours and would be penalized if they did not actively drive or if camped out in a parking lot/home).<p>With the new able bodied working requirements for SNAP and other benefits, I wonder if it is possible that gig workers can be engaged in work activity for 80+ hours per month while not technically meeting that requirement. That would mean they would make less than minimum wage and be cut off from healthcare and food assistance.<p>I also discovered than many of these drivers aren't really earning more than a base rate of a couple of dollars (literally ~$2) and tips. It seems like these delivery platforms have positioned themselves in such a way that they are extracting a pound of flesh from restaurants, customers, and underpaying their workers.
Honestly a bit crazy to me, seems to be creating this interesting exception, as if we all know most of these delivery workers aren't necessarily thinking like contractors. To me, setting a minimum wage for a particular kind of independent contractor is odd. It's almost as if its a détente between the city and the delivery app middlemen as far as employment goes.<p>If so, it's interesting as its technically an even higher in your pocket minimum wage, as most minimum wage workers can't deduct most their expenses as these workers will be able.<p>Are there any other lobbies or groups you're aware of that have a separate minimum wage from the standard enshrined into law, rather than a contract/negotiation?