Australia sets 'world-leading' wage and insurance rules for gig delivery workers
Australia's industrial umpire has approved new minimum standards requiring food and grocery delivery workers to be paid hourly rates above the national minimum wage and covered by injury insurance while on the job.
Australia's Fair Work Commission has set world-leading wage and insurance rules for gig delivery workers, with effect from August 17. Workers will be paid at least A$31.30 (US$22.11) per hour, surpassing the national minimum wage of A$26.44. They will remain responsible for their own third-party insurance for delivery vehicles, though companies must provide a minimum level of coverage for personal accident insurance.
The regulations cover about 250,000 workers and stipulate that they'll be paid for "engaged" time between accepting a job and completing the delivery. This move comes after the International Labor Organization adopted binding employment standards for gig workers in June, though those standards still require government ratification.
The Transport Workers Union hailed the order as a "landmark moment for the Australian gig economy," describing it as the first of many improvements to come for gig workers in Australia. Both Uber Eats and DoorDash, major gig economy players, welcomed the new rules, emphasizing that higher worker protections can coexist with the flexibility valued by gig workers.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress International's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
