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LA Passes New Rules To Protect Grocery Store Employees & Delivery Drivers
Along with health care workers and first responders, grocery store employees and delivery drivers are among the people shouldering the most risk during the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, the city of Los Angeles gave these essential workers new job protections .
The rules apply to grocery store employees, drug stores employees and people who work for "food delivery platforms" such as Instacart, Amazon Fresh, Postmates, Uber Eats, Grub Hub and Doordash.
The new rules require employers to let employees reschedule their shifts if they need to care for their children or for sick or elderly members of their immediate family. Employers must also approve time-off requests by employees who feel ill or exhibit symptoms of COVID-19.
In addition, employers must offer additional hours to current employees — unless it would put them into overtime — before hiring a new employee, contract worker or temporary worker.
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Food delivery apps must allow their drivers a “no-contact' method of delivering food and provide written guidelines on how to do this safely.
Finally, when employees opt to use these provisions, employers can't retaliate against them by firing them, reducing their pay, cutting their work hours or discriminating against them in any other way.
These provisions will remain in effect until both California's governor, Gavin Newsom, and L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti lift their emergency orders.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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