In a major shift for Seattle's essential workers, the Seattle Office of Labor Standards announced the expiration of several temporary COVID-19 ordinances designed to support grocery and gig workers during the pandemic. Among the ordinances that have ceased are the Grocery Employee Hazard Pay and two gig worker protections—Paid Sick and Safe Time, and Premium Pay. Now expired, these temporary measures helped nearly 82,000 workers, with the OLS redistributing more than $18.7 million in remedies, as per a statement obtained by Seattle.gov.
While these specific ordinances are no longer in effect after the city's response to the COVID-19 civil emergency, Seattle City Council responded by creating permanent protections, including the App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance and the App-Based Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance. In result of the OLS's enforcement, companies were investigated, yielding substantial financial remedies for affected workers. And to fill the gap left by the expiration, new permanent measures promise continued support for an essential segment of the workforce that put themselves at risk during the health crisis.
According to the Seattle.gov report, the Grocery Employee Hazard Pay (GEHP) Ordinance was one component that ensured an additional $4 per hour for grocery employees from February 3, 2021, to September 1, 2022. During this period, OLS managed to return $391,089.53 to 216 impacted workers. On the gig worker side, the Paid Sick and Safe Time (GWPSST) Ordinance mandated that Food Delivery Network Companies and Transportation Network Companies cater to PSST accruals for gig workers from July 13, 2020, to April 30, 2023.
Similarly, the Gig Worker Premium Pay (GWPP) Ordinance mandated an additional per order fee for gig workers involved in deliveries, compensating them for the heightened risk during the pandemic. In all, $6,792,300.15 was returned to 23,759 affected workers. As the pandemic unfolded and the city laid increasingly reliant upon gig workers, these ordinances offered a critical safety net. A gig worker expressed their gratitude in a Seattle.gov interview, "Having someone to advocate for gig workers lets us know that we have support and a way to have a voice."
While the cessation of these ordinances marks an end to the city's emergency measures, it also transitions Seattle to a period of new norms for gig workers. The App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance, effective from January 13, 2024, and the App-Based Worker PSST Ordinance, from the same date, aim to extend labor protections in the evolving economy. For more information about these new protections or to seek help, affected workers and network companies are encouraged to contact the OLS by calling 206-256-5297, emailing [email protected], or using the online request forms available through the OLS website.
