On January 5, the Presidency of the Republic sanctioned bill 1665/20 (now law 14,297/22), which ensures, during the pandemic period caused by COVID-19, protective measures for delivery people who use digital platforms.
The initiative approved by Congress, without a doubt, establishes better conditions for these workers in their relationship with companies that develop technology to facilitate the business of restaurants and markets and offer convenience to consumers.
From now on, these professionals throughout Brazil have rights such as insurance against personal accidents, permanent or temporary disability and death - during the collection and delivery of products -, access to bathrooms in restaurants and other product collection establishments and transparency in contractual rules regarding the criteria for blocking, suspending and deleting the professional's account on the digital platform.
In addition, app companies are now required to provide personal protection kits (masks and alcohol gel) and maintain the average remuneration of the last 90 days for those who have to take time off from delivery work due to coronavirus contagion.
Here at iFood we have made a great effort to ensure more dignity for our delivery partners. Since the declaration of a state of public health emergency resulting from the pandemic, in March 2020, the company has distributed more than 968 thousand sets of products to protect against COVID-19. Those who worked with the application and belonged to risk groups received, until the start of vaccination, the average of payments from the three months prior to the arrival of SARS-Cov-2 in the country to remain in social isolation.
Since the end of 2019, couriers active on the platform also have personal accident and life insurance, with no minimum deductible value. The insurance covers temporary injuries, emergency medical and dental care, total/partial permanent disability and accidental death.
As a Brazilian company responsible for our partners, we seek to adapt to the rules of law 14.297/22. This is yet another commitment from iFood to Brazil. Already we publicly demonstrate the need for companies, workers, Executive and Legislative powers, academia, organized civil society and other public authorities to engage in dialogue to establish labor relations regulations suited to the characteristics of the new economy, based on the intense development of technologies with disruptive potential.
Today, at least 1.4 million delivery people and drivers in Brazil provide services through mobile applications. It is necessary to urgently remove workers on digital platforms from the regulatory limbo in which they find themselves, with the guarantee of safety, integration into the social Security and minimum gains and more recognition that freedom of choice, independence and autonomy are rights that must be recognized and valued.
iFood is certain that this will be a great reference for the implementation of public policies that will need to be adopted by Brazilian society given the increasing presence of technology in all environments of social and business life.
