Q&A
Restitution recovered for food delivery workers and increased wages
0:17:49
ยท
151 sec
Council Member Julie Menin inquires about the total amount of restitution recovered for food delivery workers since the law's inception. Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga provides information on both restitution and increased wages due to the new minimum pay rate.
- Approximately $500 million in increased wages have gone to workers due to the new minimum pay rate
- Close to $30,000 in restitution has been returned to workers for violations of worker protection laws
- The council member expresses concern about the low restitution amount
- The agency clarifies that larger cases related to minimum pay rate violations are still open and pending
Julie Menin
0:17:49
Now I know you touched on this in your testimony, but if you could just repeat it here for the record.
0:17:54
In turn from the inception of the law when it first went into effect, what is the total amount of restitution that you have recovered for food delivery workers?
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:18:04
Thank you.
0:18:05
I think in the testimony, what we're talking about, the the $500,000,000 that the workers have received in terms of, the increase in the pay that they receive.
0:18:16
In terms of restitution, we have been able to, return to workers close to $30,000.
Julie Menin
0:18:26
But say that say the last statistic again.
0:18:28
You've been able to return
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:18:30
Almost $30,000 in restitution for violations of the worker protection laws.
Julie Menin
0:18:35
How many workers does that cover?
0:18:42
I I'm asking because I thought that number would be higher.
0:18:45
You're saying 30,000 since the law went into effect?
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:18:49
So the law yes.
0:18:50
Since the law went into effect.
0:18:52
What I what I did highlight in my testimony is that $500,000,000 have gone back into the pockets of
Julie Menin
0:19:00
Increased wages.
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:19:01
Fees.
0:19:01
Correct.
0:19:01
Because of the apps paying the new minimum pay rate.
Julie Menin
0:19:05
But the 30,000 in restitution, is that number so low because you feel compliance is high, or is that number so low because the agency needs more resources to be able to properly investigate the complaints?
Vilda Vera Mayuga
0:19:38
Council member, so the number that we share, the close to 30,000, right, that the that is mostly going to be not the minimum pay rate cases.
0:19:48
Those cases, we do have some open investigations.
0:19:51
That's gonna be the larger cases that are still outstanding that we're working through.
0:19:55
So that amount of money is not going to really be reflected at this time.
Julie Menin
0:20:00
But have any of the open investigations on the pay rate been concluded, or they're all still open?
Elizabeth Wagoner
0:20:13
We have a limited number of investigations on that issue of the minimum pay rate, and they are still open and pending.