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Gig economy workers doing it tough during COVID-19 outbreak

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In these challenging times, employees working from home and even those still commuting to the office have been increasingly turning to food delivery services like Deliveroo and foodpanda to avoid crowded restaurants.

But many working in the gig economy sector ? including food delivery workers ? are not covered by sick leave if they are quarantined are fall ill due to the coronavirus. It?s a situation that employers need to address swiftly. There are encouraging signs that some companies are beginning to act.

In early March, gig economy organising group Gig Workers Rising, published a petition asking chief executives at ride-hailing companies such as at Uber and Lyft to grant drivers paid sick leave during the coronavirus outbreak.

An Uber executive made a response to concerns about gig economy workers? vulnerability during the viral outbreak shortly after, saying that the company would pay drivers and couriers up to 14 days for those diagnosed with the COVID-19 or placed in quarantined by public health officials.

While Lyft responded by saying that it would ?provide funds? to drivers who are infected or placed under a quarantine due to the virus.

US hypermarket chain, Walmart, was one of the first to respond to the needs of its casual workforce, announced on 10 March that any worker who contracts coronavirus or who is subject to compulsory quarantine would receive up to two weeks of pay. This includes casual workers.

While Google has just set up fund to offer paid sick leave to all contractors and temporary workers globally unable to work if they come down with COVID-19 symptoms or are quarantined it was reported in Business Insider.

Google employs about 120,000 temps and contractors in addition to its 100,000 full-time employees and not all of them have paid sick leave currently. The fund is intended to protect those who aren?t covered.

Following Microsoft?s lead, Google also announced in early March that it would continue to pay employees who are paid by the hour and who may be affected by work-from-home policies. Google said its new fund will also go towards meeting that commitment.

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