“I was deactivated for requesting sick pay that Instacart wouldn’t even issue to me.”
Talisha Herald, Instacart worker, Seattle
My name is Talisha Herald, and I work on Instacart. I started doing gig work in 2020 because my work as a bartender and skincare sales rep shut down due to the pandemic. At first gig work was my full time employment but as I started seeing how easily shoppers were deactivated with inadequate review and appeal process, I decided to start my own shopping business. I still shop for Instacart during my open windows.
As a gig worker, I pay my own taxes, vehicle expenses, and medical insurance. I bring 20 years of high-touch customer experience to the platform, and I work hard and smart to provide a 5-star service each time. Yet, I still average only $22 an hour — before accounting for taxes and expenses.
After accounting for expenses, that amount falls below minimum wage.
Starting my own shopping business allowed me to have more control of my income and how I'm treated by customers and the Instacart platform. However, I don't believe starting a business is a solution for everyone — nor should it have to be.
These gig companies have the responsibility of providing a fair wage. Otherwise, quite frankly, they can't afford to be in operation. Gig apps profit off the backs of gig workers who either need to work an unhealthy amount of hours or depend on government-funded housing, food, and transportation resources.
When I got Covid and needed to access my Seattle sick and safety pay from Instacart, my account was deactivated until I provided a return-to-work release from a physician. I submitted that form within 48 hours of it being requested yet it took close to three weeks before my shopper account was re-activated. And I also didn’t receive the sick pay until they reactivated my account.
So I was deactivated for requesting sick pay that they wouldn’t even issue to me because I was deactivated, and yet it took them three weeks to process the documents they requested.
During this three-week period of my shopper account being suspended, I contacted shopper support via chat every day and got the same runaround answer that they were processing my release to work document and that my sick pay can’t be paid out until my account is reactivated.
Recovering from Covid was already a physical and financial burden, and being delayed three more weeks after being released by my doctor to return to work increased that burden. It was incredibly unfair and unprofessional of Instacart to treat me this way. I was shocked and disheartened that during a time when I needed support that I was being ignored. I became incredibly depressed and anxious about the circumstances — and months later, I’m still working to recover financially from the three weeks of being deactivated unfairly.
Sadly, I am not the only one.
Hundreds of stories like mine are shared on Instacart Shopper pages online. We need the PayUp policy now because gig workers proudly provide a great service to this beautiful city of Seattle.
Through the pandemic and beyond, we have been providing an essential service. We show up every day and make a positive difference and contribution in the lives of Seattle residents. Gig workers who were once considered heroes during the most challenging days of the pandemic and continue to daily participate in the robust gig economy deserve at least minimum wage after our expenses, with real transparency about our pay.
Gig companies have gotten away with paying subminimum wages for too long.
Seattle is known for doing what's right and fair for all workers.
And at this time, gig workers really need City Council to stand up for us. We're depending on them to do the fair and just thing by passing the PayUp policies.