🔍 Overview of the pilot
DoorDash is stepping up its game by piloting a benefits program for its contract drivers, known affectionately as Dashers. Over six months starting April 2024, Pennsylvania-based Dashers can enjoy a sprinkle of corporate-care in the gig economy desert. This includes retirement savings, and health to dental and vision insurance, topped with paid time off. Eligibility kicks in for those making over $1K pre-tips in Q2. Partnering with Stride, this initiative not just opens a Stride Save account but adds a 4% pre-tip earnings deposit into it.
📈 Behind the benefits
What's truly revolutionary here is the concept of "portable benefits." Unlike the traditional model where benefits are chained to employment status, DoorDash and Stride are enabling these perks to move with the Dashers. It’s a bid to offer the gig economy's flexibility with the security of traditional employment benefits. DoorDash CEO Tony Xu put it best, "We’re proud that dashing has helped millions achieve greater financial security, and we’re now aiming to bridge the gap in benefits."
💡 Other incentives
In addition to the benefits pilot, DoorDash isn't shy about splurging on its drivers. March 2023 saw new financial rewards rolling out, including a special DasherDirect card. This prepaid debit/rewards card, a product of a partnership with Payfare Inc., offers access to Upside promotions at 50,000 gas and food retailers. The idea? To make every mile and meal count more for the Dashers, boosting both morale and mileage.
🚀 Looking ahead
This pilot might just be the tip of the gig-economy iceberg. With DoorDash pushing the envelope on contractor care, it's a clear signal to other platforms. The gig economy might just be getting a makeover, blending flexibility with financial and health security. And as for the Dashers, they're not just delivering your dinner anymore; they're pioneering a new era of gig work. Here’s to hoping the pilot soars, making the gig economy a bit less gig and a bit more gold.
Will DoorDash's pilot change the gig game?
