William Medina has been delivering food for DoorDash and Uber Eats in Queens since 2019, when he moved to New York from Bogota, Colombia. He's risked his health picking up and delivering food to customers during the pandemic and pedaling through snow, hail, and thunderstorms. He deals with the daily hazards of navigating around New York City traffic, and his motorcycle has even been stolen.
Lately, though, times have been especially tough; he hasn't been able to send much to his family back home. For the past year, he's been struggling to keep up with his rent and pay for groceries—despite the fact that his hourly pay has never been higher. In December, his minimum hourly wage went up to $17.96, then it increased again to $19.56 in April. But new policies enacted by delivery apps in response to the higher pay keep him from working enough to generate sufficient income.
New York's City Council mandated the pay hike for the city's 65,000 delivery workers last June, marking a significant increase from the $5.39-an-hour average that had been the norm, according to the city's Department of Consumer and Workplace Protection (DCWP). The law faced stiff resistance from delivery companies, including Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub, which have all been struggling to be profitable. (Of the three, only Uber reported a profit in 2023.) They filed a suit after the law passed, delaying its implementation until December. (Uber and Grubhub did not respond to requests for comment; DoorDash answered questions via a spokesperson.)
This story is from the Summer 2024 edition of Fast Company.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Summer 2024 edition of Fast Company.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Campus Radicals
Welcome to UATX, Austin's new well-funded and controversial anti-woke university.
What Went Wrong at 23 and Me
The company's DNA spit tests were going to remake healthcare. The science proved more complicated.
Toxic-Workplace Avenger
Her landmark lawsuit helped ignite the Me Too movement. Gretchen Carlson is now on a crusade to protect all workers.
A Lousy Bet
Sportsbooks, leagues, and networks: the new unholy alliance to promote legal gambling.
CAN'T STOP ROLLING
MOBILE GAME MAKER SCOPELY TOOK IN $2 BILLION IN JUST 10 MONTHS FROM ITS HIT GAME MONOPOLY GO. PLAYERS, IT SEEMS, ARE ADDICTED TO THE FUN.
A minimum hourly wage law for NYC delivery workers has boosted their pay-but not everyone is reaping the benefits.
$19.56, the hard way
IT'S A TOUGH JOB BUT GENZ NEEDS TO DO IT
HOW DAVID HOGG IS RALLYING YOUNG PEOPLE TO PURSUE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST AND MOST IMPORTANT CAREERS IN AMERICA: POLITICS.
INNOVATION BY DESIGN
For 13 years, our Innovation by Design Awards have been shining a light on stunning creations. The following pages highlight 20 of this year's winning projects, from an app that helps resettle political refugees to a massive restoration project in Detroit. Plus, a list of winners and finalists in all 50 categories.
How's This for a Cliffhanger?
That poor henchman over there has a hammer stuck in his forehead.
CREATOR ECONOMY
Carpe DM New platforms monetize intimate\" bonds between creators and their fans.