DoorDash is proud to have supported California’s Proposition 22 because we knew we were advocating for a policy supported by the vast majority of Dashers. When California voters across the political spectrum passed Prop 22 with nearly 59% of the vote, we heard an outpouring of support from the Dasher community. We continue to hear from Dashers everyday about how they value the ability to earn when and how they choose, with 90% of Dashers telling us flexibility is very important to them.
Now that Prop 22 has been in place for two months, we are sharing early results of just what this new model has delivered to over 200,000 Dashers across California who have gained new benefits and protections, while maintaining their independence and freedom.
We took a look at the data and have seen a great response from Dashers, with a 50% increase in positive sentiment since making the transition to Prop 22. Dashers are earning more money and working flexibly for supplemental income. The numbers speak for themselves.
On average, in January 2021:
- Bay Area Dashers earned over $36 per hour while on deliveries
- Los Angeles and San Diego Dashers earned over $33 per hour while on deliveries
- Sacramento Dashers earned over $32 per hour while on deliveries
“As someone who relies heavily on the flexibility I’m afforded working as a Dasher, I was grateful that California voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition 22, allowing me to maintain my independence while gaining new protections and still letting me access the critical disability benefits I rely on. Prop 22 was such a big deal for me and hundreds of thousands of other California workers, and provided exactly the kind of opportunity that is more important than ever now that the world has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.” -California Dasher Kelly Rickert
On average, Dashers in cities across California earned over 30% more in January 2021 than they did in a typical month in 2020, showing a real increase in earnings since Prop 22 was implemented. We’re grateful that DoorDash is able to provide flexible opportunities to earn and serve as a source of supplemental income for the majority of the more than 200,000 California Dashers on our platform.
What makes DoorDash such an attractive way to earn is the freedom that Dashers have to set their own schedule around their own needs. These are parents, retirees, veterans, entrepreneurs, students, and others who choose when, where, and for however long to work. Since the beginning of January 2021, California Dashers chose to work less than 7 hours per week on average, demonstrating just how important earning flexibly is to so many.
DoorDash is committed to preserving the independence that Dashers consistently tell us they prefer, while supporting portable, proportional, and flexible frameworks to deliver benefits to workers. In California, we partnered closely with Dashers, policymakers and local groups to develop a viable and tailored solution in Prop 22.
The success of this model is proof that Dashers and voters across the political spectrum support solutions that pair the flexibility that Dashers need with greater security, and we recognize that we have a responsibility to lead efforts to strengthen this type of work broadly. We are committed to expanding protections for Dashers beyond California and working with lawmakers and other stakeholders on all sides of the aisle and across the country to ensure the millions of Dashers can enjoy their independence and gain access to protections and benefits like those provided in Prop 22.
The data coming out of California is encouraging and we’re eager to see the next phase this spring when Dashers with qualifying healthcare plans will have access to the healthcare stipend. We’re proud to provide such strong earning opportunities for Dashers in California, and remain dedicated to building upon the success of Prop 22 and bringing the same value and new benefits to Dashers everywhere.
Dashers are Earning More Money and Working Flexibly Under California’s Prop 22 was originally published in DoorDash on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.