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☆ I'm a gig worker who argued for Seattle's new minimum pay laws. Now, I'm fighting for my Instacart job.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michelle Balzer, an Instacart driver in Seattle. Balzer was among those who advocated for PayUp, a series of bills meant to protect gig workers passed by Seattle's city council. One of the laws, which requires companies like Instacart to pay contractors the equivalent of the city's $19.97-an-hour minimum wage, took effect on January 13. An Instacart spokesperson told BI: "Due to new regulations imposed by the Seattle City Council, we're making several changes to how Instacart operates in Seattle. AdvertisementDo you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Walmart Spark, or another gig work app and have a story idea to share?

Persons: Michelle Balzer, Balzer, I've, Instacart, PayUp, It's Organizations: Service, PayUp, Business, Shoppers, Seattle, Seattle City Council, Safety, Walmart Locations: Seattle, Seattle's, Pacific Northwest, PayUp, Instacart, Washington, DoorDash

☆ Walmart's facial ID tool to combat fraudulent Spark delivery drivers is kicking legitimate workers off the app
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

BI spoke with another Walmart Spark worker who said they were deactivated immediately after trying to complete the identity verification late last year. AdvertisementGig workers for apps like Spark, Instacart, DoorDash, and Grubhub often have their accounts suspended with little notice or explanation. The rollout comes after some Walmart Spark drivers were found using multiple accounts under false identities to claim more orders and make more money. "The third-party identity verification tool is working as intended. "My account was deactivated after the identity verification," one post from November on r/Sparkdriver reads.

Persons: Chastity Lopez, Lopez, she's Organizations: Walmart, Drivers Locations: New York, Alabama

☆ Gig driving was a glimmer of hope for many people with disabilities — but for some, it's a dead end.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Some told BI that they can't find other accommodating jobs and that gig work is a dead end. He said gig driving was one of his only options to supplement his disability benefits. Robert is one of many disabled gig drivers who say they have no other options to make a living. "Disabled gig workers can be forced to rely on gig work for income because of issues with exclusion and discrimination in traditional workplaces," Shruti Sannon, a technology-policy program director at the ACLU who authored a paper on disabled gig workers, said. For many disabled gig drivers with medical issues, gig work is a temporary but necessary step toward getting back on their feet.

Persons: Uber, —, Robert, there's, he's, Shruti Sannon, Sannon, Lyft, they're, Omar Ford, Jason McConahy, it's, aren't, Douglas Kruse, Lisa Schur, Schur, Kruse, " Kruse, Shane, hasn't, I've, Rene, Richard H, Richard, I'd, Michael, Jacob Zinkula Organizations: Service, Lyft, Business, Rutgers University School of Management, Labor Relations, Rutgers, of Labor Statistics, Marine Corps, Air Force, Uber, Arizona State University Locations: Portland , Oregon, South Florida, Las Vegas, North Carolina, Denver, Phoenix, New Jersey

☆ TurboTax Can No Longer Advertise Products as Free, F.T.C. Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Rebecca Carballo | More About Rebecca Carballo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal regulators have ruled that Intuit, the maker of the tax-filing software TurboTax, must stop marketing its services as free, unless they are free to everyone or exceptions are clearly disclosed. TurboTax had for years claimed customers could file their taxes online for free. The Federal Trade Commission said in an opinion and final order issued on Monday that its advertising was deceptive because two-thirds of taxpayers were not eligible to file with the free product. The commission also found that the company’s attempts to disclose that not everybody qualified for free services were “ineffective and often inconspicuous.”Examples of ineligible taxpayers include those claiming mortgage and property deductions, charitable donations over $300, unemployment income, investment income, rental property income and certain education expenses. Gig workers who reported income as independent contractors, including many delivery drivers, were also ineligible.

Persons: TurboTax Organizations: Intuit, Federal Trade Commission

☆ Why is your grocery delivery taking so long? Your driver has 2 other deliveries.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Delivery apps like Instacart and Walmart Spark often 'batch' orders together. Drivers have a choice, companies sayBatches have been part of Instacart's strategy for "several years," a company spokesperson told BI. Advertisement"Some customers get angry wondering why it's taking so long," the Alabama driver said. Customers give drivers low ratings and pull away tips as a result, the driver told Insider. AdvertisementDo you work for Instacart, Spark, or another delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, they'll, Instacart, Uber, commenter Organizations: Walmart, Service, Drivers, Alabama, FedEx, UPS, SEC Locations: Alabama, North Carolina, New York City, Queens, Brooklyn

☆ Brick-Filled Boxes. Bogus Receipts. Retailers Battle Fraudulent Returns.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Liz Young | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The pandemic has changed the way we shop. More people buying things online means more people returning things, too. WSJ’s Dalvin Brown explains how some companies are leveraging gig workers to make those returns for you. Photo illustration: David FangSome companies processing returned televisions for retailers have gotten a surprise when opening the boxes—packaging filled with bricks rather than newly purchased TVs. Others examining returned purchases of purported luxury goods are instead finding counterfeits sent in by customers looking for refunds on full-price, deluxe merchandise.

Persons: WSJ’s Dalvin Brown, David Fang, counterfeits

☆ A Gen Z college student who drives for Uber Eats and DoorDash shares how he uses 'multi-apping' to make money
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Between his commute to school and gig work, Kaiser said the Nissan Sentra he bought in mid-2021 already has over 85,000 miles on it. Balancing work with school takes practiceKaiser said his food delivery and Kohl's gigs have sometimes left insufficient time for his academics. If he has too much on his plate, he'll sometimes take a whole week off from food delivery. After graduation, Kaiser hopes to land an entry-level IT job and scale back his Uber Eats and DoorDash hours. But for now, he said he values his food delivery gigs, which have provided him not only a flexible income stream but some positive social interactions.

Persons: —, Joseph Kaiser doesn't, Kaiser, Uber, Zers, Gen, who's, Kaiser's, I've Organizations: Service, University of Central, Business, Kohl's, Microsoft, Nissan Locations: University of Central Florida, Kohl's, Kaiser

☆ Walmart Spark shoppers can remove their tips up to 24 hours after delivery. Drivers say that contributes to a problem of 'tip baiting.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Alex Bitter | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

When he works for Walmart's Spark Driver delivery app, it happens a few times a week, he told Business Insider. They traced the problem to a Spark policy giving customers up to 24 hours to reduce or take back their tips. DoorDash's app lets customers only increase a tip or add one — lowering a tip requires calling customer service, a company spokesperson told BI. AdvertisementDrivers can wind up making far less than they expected once the 24 hours is up, a Georgia Spark driver told BI. A Spark driver there told BI his area had too many drivers and that tip baiting wasn't a significant problem.

Persons: —, Dara Khosrowshahi, Spark, Yeji Jesse Lee, it's, Uber, they've, Brock Dickens, they'd, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Google, Walmart, Drivers, BI, Detroit Locations: Indiana, San Francisco, New York City, DoorDash, Carolina, Georgia, Oregon

☆ Most delivery gig work workers won't be impacted by the new fed rule — yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But gig delivery companies like DoorDash and Instacart say they don't plan to make any changes. AdvertisementIf you make deliveries as a gig worker, don't expect any changes from a new federal rule — at least, not immediately. But companies that rely on gig workers to make deliveries say they won't need to make any changes. Amazon, which employs gig workers through its Flex delivery arm, did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Do you work for Instacart, DoorDash, Walmart Spark, Uber Eats, or another gig delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Julie Su, Uber, Loyola University Chicago Professor Peter Norlander, I'm, Norlander Organizations: Service, Department of Labor, Labor, Department, Flex, Loyola University Chicago Professor, Wall Street, Walmart Locations: DoorDash

☆ Smart shopping carts with customized ads are the future of grocery shopping, according to Instacart
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Instacart will test ads on its Caper smart shopping carts at Bristol Farms grocery stores in Southern California, it said on Monday. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. AdvertisementInstacart plans to have "thousands" of the Caper carts in stores by the end of 2024, Instacart CEO Fidji Simo told Bloomberg on Monday. Caper carts are just one example of the boom in what those in the industry call "retail media." AdvertisementMost retailers' ad sales are a fraction of Amazon's, which has been building its ad business for longer.

Persons: —, General Mills, That's, Fidji Simo, they're, Simo Organizations: Service, Bristol Farms, Kroger, Schnucks, Business, Del, Del Monte Foods, Bloomberg, Retailers, Walmart, Amazon, Intelligence Locations: Southern California, Del Monte

☆ The golden age of working for Instacart, DoorDash, and other delivery apps is over, workers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-31 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

"2020 and 2021 were excellent, but things started to go downhill in 2022 and now 2023," Juan told Business Insider. AdvertisementSpokespeople for Amazon, DoorDash, and Grubhub confirmed to Business Insider that they put prospective delivery workers on waitlists in certain markets based on demand for deliveries. AdvertisementHere are some of the problems that delivery gig workers faced in 2023, varying from lower pay to greater competition to sudden deactivations. The companies that employ delivery workers oppose the laws. Do you work for Instacart, Walmart Spark, or another gig delivery service and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Juan, he's, He's, hasn't, they're, Grubhub, Greg F, Greg, Instacart, Alexia Hudson, Daniel Danker, Hudson, Uber, GeekWire, Shipt Organizations: Service, Amazon, Business, Instacart, Walmart, Hudson, Bank of America Institute, New, New York Post Locations: Instacart, Southern California, Utah, California, Texas, Charlotte , North Carolina, Seattle, New York City, Juan

☆ Older Americans explain how they're spending their retirements working in the gig economy as Uber and Lyft drivers to make ends meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Some of these semi-retired workers are gig drivers for companies like Uber and DoorDash. Over half of the missing gig workers were aged 60 or older, and over 40% of them described themselves as "retired." Many of these semi-retired workers are gig drivers for companies like Uber and DoorDash. Business Insider previously spoke with six gig drivers about why they're driving during their retirement and the strategies they're using to make money. As her pay-per-ride declines and the cost of maintenance skyrockets, she's been forced to find other types of gig work.

Persons: Uber, —, boomers, didn't, Robert A, Peterson, John Fleming, Charles Rosenblatt, Jeff Hoenig, he'd, Jeff Hoenig Jeff Hoenig, Wesley Johnson, San Francisco Uber, Johnson, Omar Ford, Omar Ford Omar Ford Ford, he's, Germaine, she's, it's, Bill, Rich Organizations: Service, Hebrew University, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Survey, AARP, The University of Texas, Business, Hertz, Security, North Carolina, BI, Arizona Uber, Uber, Social Locations: Austin, Myrtle Beach , South Carolina, San Francisco, South Florida, New York City, Florida, North, Arizona

Zubale/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsMEXICO CITY, Nov 30 (Reuters) - E-commerce startup Zubale is setting its sights on expanding throughout Brazil and Mexico with a fresh $25 million capital injection, the company said on Thursday. In Mexico, the startup already operates in 90 cities and is eyeing another 40 over the next two years, said Monroy. He added that Zubale plans to first boost the technology behind its gig service in Mexico, Latin America's second-largest economy, to increase both workers' productivity and earnings. Zubale is also going to "speed up market penetration" of its software in Mexico, where the products are "still really green," Monroy said. The $25 million investment announced on Thursday comes from backers such as QED Investors and NFX, and follows a $40 million Series A funding round last year.

Persons: Sebastian Monroy, Zubale, Thiego Goularte, Goularte, Monroy, Kylie Madry, Rashmi Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS Acquire, MEXICO CITY, Carrefour, Sao Paulo, Thomson Locations: Sao Paulo, Brazil, Handout, MEXICO, Mexico, Sao, Rio de Janeiro

☆ I got stabbed while shopping for Instacart. I was shocked by how difficult it was to get support as an injured gig worker.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementThis as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Owen Dwyer, an Instacart shopper in Maryland. Business Insider has verified his identity and employment; corroborated details of the stabbing through police records; and viewed messages from Instacart support and insurance claims Dwyer filed after he was stabbed. Instacart's insurance provider responded to Dwyer's second claim after Business Insider reached out to Instacart for comment on this story. Dwyer told Business Insider he had not received an estimated payment total as of press time. "The safety of the entire Instacart community is incredibly important to us, and we take immediate action when we receive reports of violence against any member of the Instacart community," an Instacart spokesperson told Business Insider.

Persons: Instacart, —, Owen Dwyer, Dwyer, I'd, doesn't, I'm, It's, I've, who've Organizations: Walmart, Service, Instacart, Chrysler, Costco, CVS, Business Locations: Maryland, Baltimore, pec, Instacart

☆ IRS postpones rule change on digital payment reporting for small businesses and side hustles
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The change might have resulted in 44 million more 1099-K forms being sent in January to such filers, including small business owners, freelancers, those with side hustles and gig workers. Regardless of delay or rule change, your tax obligations remain the sameNeither the delay of the rule change nor the eventual implementation of it will change your tax burden in any way. That’s because you have always been obligated as a taxpayer to report the money you make from your business activities to the IRS. The difference once the rule change goes into effect is that the IRS will be learning about your business income from a third party payment platform. And the change will effectively pull back the curtain on just how much business income is being generated on third-party payment platforms.

Persons: “, ”, Danny Werfel, –, Sherrod Brown of, Bill Cassidy, Biden, Arshi Siddiqui, Akin Gump, they’re Organizations: New, New York CNN, IRS, American, The Coalition, Electronic Transactions, Airbnb, PayPal, Democratic, Ks Locations: New York, Poshmark, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Louisiana

☆ How a Florida driver fed up with Uber and Lyft created her own shuttle service so she could make more money and work fewer hours
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This comes after months of struggling to even earn $100 a day in eight hours for Uber and Lyft. AdvertisementSherry, 58, was driving upwards of 75 hours a week for Uber and Lyft, struggling to pull in $200 a day. She's made between $1,500 and $1,700 a week doing shuttle driving alongside Uber and Lyft rides. "The clientele I have is different too because I'm driving tourists, and they're more apt to tip," Sherry said. She's only driving for Uber and Lyft a few hours each week as she tries to get her name out there.

Persons: Xer, she's, Uber, —, Sherry, underpaid, I'm, She's, It's Organizations: Facebook, Service, Uber Locations: Florida

Research prepared for a Boston Federal Reserve labor market conference found that whether driving for Uber to make ends meet or taking piecework jobs in retirement, casual contract workers sometimes don't consider themselves "employed" or even a part of the labor force. The research involved reexamining the detailed responses to a New York Fed survey of "informal work" from 2015 through 2022. Other research looked at how job training and policies towards employing those with a criminal record might help. Their research found many gig workers want additional hours of formal employment, suggesting more untapped labor supply. "And the higher levels of activity and participation can benefit those brought into the labor market, contributing to a vibrant economy that works for all."

Persons: Mike Segar, Uber, Anat Bracha, Mary A, Burke, Bracha, rehashed, Jerome Powell, Susan Collins, Collins, Howard Schneider, Dan Burns, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Rights BOSTON, Federal, Boston Federal Reserve, Hebrew University Business School, Boston Fed, Fed, New, Labor, Boston, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Jerusalem

☆ This report on teens having to view horrific material to train AI is a really sad read
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Katie Notopoulos | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

AdvertisementHe earned $1 to $2 an hour on a site that uses crowdsourcing to train algorithms, Wired reports. (Wired gave an example of one teenager who it said he used his grandmother's face to pass an age-verification test.) Workers in Kenya who helped train ChatGPT said that they were exposed to horrific material, including text centering on sexual violence. Content moderation for social media has long been outsourced to India and the Philippines and elsewhere — potentially exposing workers to horrific images and traumatic material. But Wired's report that some of this work is apparently being done by young teenagers is particularly alarming.

Persons: ChatGPT Organizations: Wired, Workers Locations: Pakistan, East Africa, Venezuela, Philippines, Kenya, India

☆ A millennial who tests out side hustles explains why he recommends making user-generated content and other flexible options to earn some extra money quickly
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He wants to cut through the noise to help people understand which side hustles actually work, are relatively easy to start, and can make money. Below are a few of the side hustles Ryan told Insider about in the new interview. iVueitIf you want a side hustle to work around your employment schedule, Ryan recommends trying property inspection app iVueit . AdvertisementAdvertisementUser-generated contentRyan previously told Insider about his success making user-generated content or UGC, using a platform called JoinBrands. Sells said JoinBrands can be a good side hustle because brands are interested in all different kinds of people to make user-generated content.

Persons: Ryan, —, Ryan doesn't, he's, hustles Ryan, I've, Ian Sells, Sells Organizations: Service, Walmart, Amazon, UGC

☆ A 77-year-old Uber driver in Florida said she's struggling to make ends meet as rides become harder to get
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A 77-year-old Uber driver said she's struggling to earn enough to supplement her Social Security. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Some weeks, the amount she's made from rides is less than the cost of gas and car repairs. She wishes she could stop entirely, but she's semi-retired and needs to work at least part-time to supplement her Social Security benefits. Because she drives a smaller car, she can only accept UberX rides, which tend to earn less than UberXL or Uber Black rides.

Persons: Uber, she's, that's, —, Germaine, She's, haven't incentivized, hasn't, it's Organizations: Service, Security, Postmates, Uber, Lyft, Social Security, Accounting Locations: ridesharing, South Florida

☆ Instacart says most of its retailers charge more through its app than in stores, confirming what gig workers and shoppers have suspected for years
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Just 425 of the 1,400 retailers that sell through Instacart charge the same prices in-store and on the app. Instacart CEO Fidji Simo said Wednesday that the company encourages retailers to stick to in-store prices. Some customers don't realize that the markups even exist, Instacart shoppers have told Insider. Out of the 1,400 retailers who sell through Instacart, 425 offer the same prices through Instacart, Fidji Simo told analysts during the company's first-ever earnings call. Instacart lets retailers decide how much they charge for products for sale through the app, Simo said.

Persons: Fidji Simo, —, Instacart, Simo Organizations: Service Locations: Instacart, Southern California, Oregon

☆ A Gen Xer gave up gig work with Amazon to become a full-time bus driver. He's nearly doubled his hourly income and loves the benefits.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A former Amazon Flex driver said he's making thousands of dollars more as a bus driver in Seattle. He recently quit his gig job with Amazon Flex and started working with King County Metro full-time. While this is mainly concentrated among younger Americans, many Gen Xers and boomers have left the corporate world for more flexible gig work. Making the transition to bus drivingAt Amazon Flex, Timss said he was earning at least $1,000 each week. "Gig work really should be a stepping stone or get you by."

Persons: —, Jason Timss, Timss, Xers, he'd, I'd, He's, he's Organizations: Amazon, Service, Amazon Flex, King County Metro, Seattle, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Seattle

☆ I am a food delivery and rideshare driver who advocates for thousands of gig workers. I follow these steps to prevent apps from firing me.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Dozens of gig drivers say they are getting fired from apps like Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, and Uber Eats. AdvertisementAdvertisementFood delivery and rideshare drivers say they are getting booted off apps like Uber and DoorDash in droves. Avedian, a multi-app gig driver who shares his best practices on The Rideshare Guy , said he receives about 1,000 emails each week from gig workers seeking his advice. The 56-year-old former Wall Street broker estimates he has logged about 12,000 trips over eight years driving for DoorDash, Uber, Uber Eats, and Lyft. AdvertisementAdvertisementHe spoke with Insider and shared his best tips for preventing gig drivers from getting fired from apps.

Persons: Uber, Sergio Avedian, Guy, —, Grubhub, DoorDash, Lyft, Avedian, David Risher, Biden, Trump, Mario Andretti, I'm Organizations: Service, Wall, DoorDash, Guy YouTube, Money, Cannabis Locations: Los Angeles, Russian, that's

☆ DoorDash will start tracking delivery workers' sudden stops and accelerations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new feature on the DoorDash app tracks how often its workers break or accelerate suddenly. The information will be available to dashers through "Driving Insights," the company said Friday. DoorDash said the feature uses the same location data from workers' phones that it already uses for features like navigation. DoorDash has been testing Driving Insights since July in Phoenix and Salt Lake City. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe features are meant to improve safety for DoorDash workers, Austin Haugen, Vice President of Dasher Product, said in the company's statement announcing the feature changes.

Persons: It's, —, DoorDash, Dashers, Austin Haugen, Haugen, haven't Organizations: Service, Amazon, Apple Locations: Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Atlanta , Houston, Dallas, Detroit, Cleveland, Miami, Charlotte, Palm Beach

☆ DoorDash will start surveilling delivery workers' driving with an app that tracks how hard they are braking and accelerating
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new feature on the DoorDash app tracks how often its workers break or accelerate suddenly. The information will be available to dashers through "Driving Insights," the company said Friday. DoorDash said the feature uses the same location data from workers' phones that it already uses for features like navigation. DoorDash has been testing Driving Insights since July in Phoenix and Salt Lake City. The app assigns each driver a score and penalizes them for hard stops, quick acceleration, speeding, and other driving issues.

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