Uber has announced it will introduce a flexible benefits fund in Canada to help workers in the gig economy.
The company has stated that all stakeholders in the gig economy will exchange data on working hours and income and will pay proportionately into the fund. Thereafter, employees will be entitled to benefits as soon as they reach a defined threshold.
In a blog post shared by Uber, the Benefit Fund will operate with the help of Canada’s provincial governments and provide gig workers with cash benefits to cover pensions, life insurance, education or dental benefits, and health services not covered by Canada’s universal health care system.
In recent years, gig companies have been criticized for the lack of benefits and protections for their independent contract workers. Uber, however, says it supports benefits across all its platforms, explaining that different labor laws, social safety nets, and cultures lead to different strategies for solving problems in different countries.
For more information, read the original story in Reuters.