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Amazon will no longer use drivers' tips to cover their base pay
Amazon has pledged to be more transparent and to tell its its Flex delivery drivers how much they actually earn, according to an email sent to contractors as seen by the LA Times. Perhaps more importantly, the e-commerce giant will no longer dip into drivers' tips to cover their base pay. LA Times reported earlier this year that the company used drivers' supplemental earnings to fulfill the $18-to-$25-per-hour base pay they're guaranteed.
The delivery drivers weren't aware of the practice due to the lack of transparency. They weren't told how much of the money they get came from tips, so some of them had to experiment by ordering items themselves to figure out what was going on. Going forward, based on Amazon's email, the company will start sending them a fare breakdown for their shift, showing how much their base pay is and how much tips they got.
"While earnings vary by region and block, with the change to Amazon's minimum contribution, we expect nationwide average earnings for these blocks to increase to more than $27 per hour," the email reportedly read.
This is similar to DoorDash, who was recently called out for using driver's tips to fulfill the minimum wage that the company guaranteed.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday August 26 2019, @12:00AM (4 children)
Back in the day, minimum wage was $3.35 per hour, but $2.02 per hour for anybody "working for tips" with the proviso that tips, as reported on their income tax statement, must bring them up to at least $3.35 per hour. The brighter busboys who could do the math would always report tips that just barely got them to $3.35 to minimize their tax hit.
But, tipping Amazon drivers, is that really a thing? My wife tips all kinds of people, including hotel maids, but neither of us even for a moment thought about tipping these guys who show up half the time when we're not home, knock and dash even when we are home, and rarely take more care than not shot-putting the packages from the truck to the porch...
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by takyon on Monday August 26 2019, @12:16AM (3 children)
I think tipping is the norm with Amazon's same-day delivery of fresh groceries...? Whatever it is, I don't think it's the regular package delivery that's being discussed.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday August 26 2019, @12:24AM (2 children)
O.K. sure, Aldi just started delivering here and they "suggest" a 5% delivery tip on their receipt... pretty reasonable considering Aldi's prices are about 30% below most of the competition around here.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 26 2019, @01:48PM (1 child)
No it's not reasonable. The whole practice of tipping is insane and the sooner it ends the better.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 26 2019, @02:45PM
Yes, heaven forfend you show someone real gratitude by offering them some of your extra cash to say you appreciated what they personally did for you over and above what their job requires them.
(And, contrariwise, when down on my luck many times I have most apologetically said 'I'm sorry that I don't have the money for a tip but thank you so much for your service!' and that usually gets a better acknowledgement that I was welcome to the service than slapping money into their hands).
an asshole.