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The Conversation
The Conversation
Andrew Garin, Associate Professor of Economics, Carnegie Mellon University

Seattle tried to guarantee higher pay for delivery drivers – here’s why it didn’t work as intended

Seattle DoorDash Uber Eats Instacart Minimum Wage
Boosting pay for food delivery drivers is proving hard to pull off. Kevin Carter/Getty Images

If you’ve ever ordered food through DoorDash, Uber Eats or Instacart, you may have realized the person who delivers it isn’t a salaried employee. They’re gig workers – independent contractors who pick up delivery tasks through an app, get paid per delivery and have no guaranteed hours, benefits or minimum wage protections.

Policymakers in several cities have tried to change that.

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