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Hong Kong delivery riders seek bigger payouts under gig injury plan
A proposed work injury compensation scheme would calculate payouts using longer-term income averages and treat logged-on waiting time as protected working hours, delivery riders say.
Hong Kong delivery riders say injuries on the job have left them financially exposed, citing delayed claims and low compensation as the gig economy expands, according to SCMP Economy.
One rider, Raj Bhattarai, said he was rear-ended about a year ago, spent a month on sick leave for a back injury, and waited 10 months to receive HK$3,000 (US$382), which he said was not enough given he had no income while recovering.
SCMP Economy reports that injured riders and their unions are calling for stronger protections, including a proposed statutory work injury compensation scheme for gig workers, described as the first initiative of its kind in Hong Kong.
The proposal would tie payouts to longer-term income averages and would also treat logged-on waiting time as protected working hours, in an effort to better reflect earnings loss during recovery and delays in the claim process.