Delivery drivers say city’s new wage rule makes it harder to make ends meet

The city’s rule allows apps to pay delivery workers around $30 an hour on average for active time spent on deliveries, or the option of $18 per hour for the entire time logged in.

Elly Morillo and Adolfo Carrion

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Mar 21, 2024, 12:48 AM

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Updated 248 days ago

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Many changes have come to the food delivery industry in New York City, including a new wage formula that some drivers say is making it harder to pay their bills.

For those placing an order for delivery on apps like DoorDash, tipping is no longer an option until after checkout. That’s just one of the changes consumers are facing after the city’s new wage formula went into place for delivery workers to earn at least $18 per hour with yearly increases.

"Before everything used to match up for me, you know, I make $500 on DoorDash. I can make $300 on tips,” said DoorDasher Jamal Harris. “Now, I can make $300 on DoorDash or $50 worth of tips. That's what last week looked like."

Harris says DoorDash can no longer serve as a full-time job for him. He says that thanks to the city’s new rules, he can’t just go on and start working like he used to – he says he now has to make a schedule because of the changed rules.

“If it wasn't for having another job, I would be at one of the shelters,” said Harris. "In order for us to survive in this city working as gig workers and all that, we need the best benefits and that rule did not look out for us.”

Some platforms opposed to the change even responded by limiting work hours. The city’s rule allows apps to pay delivery workers around $30 an hour on average for active time spent on deliveries, or the option of $18 per hour for the entire time logged in.

A DoorDash spokesperson issued a response to News 12 saying:

Everyone who uses our platform in New York City has begun to feel the harmful impact from the extreme minimum pay rules implemented late last year. For our platform to work, it has to work for all New Yorkers — Dashers, merchants, and consumers alike. While there’s a lot of uncertainty around these new pay rules, it has become clear that they aren’t working right now. We hope that we can find a path forward that allows us to continue to best serve the communities across New York City.