PLUGGING GAPS
Ride-hailing drivers and delivery riders spend most of their time on the road, rain or shine, delivering convenience to many without enjoying the security of regular employment.
On the one hand, platform workers enjoy greater autonomy than employees as they may work for more than one platform, and can choose to accept or decline job tasks.
On the other hand, they are subject to significant management control by platform operators, which use algorithms to assign work and pay, as well as impose requirements on when or how a task is done.
Platform workers are also subject to risks on the job as they fulfil their driving or delivery assignments, without recourse to mandatory compensation for work injuries or lost earnings unlike regular employees.
Furthermore, platform workers’ earnings are often less predictable than those of employees, as they are subject to the vagaries of market demand and supply on a daily basis. Hence, there is a strong case to shore up worker protection as well as help platform workers build up retirement savings.
The new law, based on the recommendations of an Advisory Committee on Platform Workers, will plug existing gaps. It recognises that the relationship between platform workers and platform operators is distinct from employment or pure freelancing, and hence stipulates a tailored set of protections for this category of workers. Implementation details have been finetuned through consultation with platform operators and workers, as well as insurers, academics and tripartite partners.
