Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984
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: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 26 2019, @02:27AM (1 child)
To make sure the tip goes where intended (the person providing the service), I usually tip in cash. As soon as the tip is added to a credit card receipt, or any other (e)payment, there's no way of knowing where it goes.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday August 26 2019, @02:49AM
Yep. I do the same. Then the person I give the tip to can decide for themselves how much of it they want to share. If they don't want to share with the boss then I'm OK with that. Considering that this is being done with the government's blessing, then if they don't want to share with Uncle Sam I'm OK with that too. Screw everyone who is complicit in this abomination.