DoorDash Inc. agreed to pay $1.6 million to settle allegations that it violated Seattle’s Gig Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance, the city’s Office of Labor Standards reported Aug. 21.

Of the amount, $500,064 will be paid to 648 workers and $8,629 will go to fines. The lion’s share, $1.1 million, will go to 26,500 workers in Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance credits.

Seattle reported it began an investigation into DoorDash after allegations the gig economy work services platform failed to:

• Establish an accessible paid sick and safe time system for independent contractor gig workers to request paid sick and safe time.
• Compensate some gig workers for use of paid sick and safe time in a timely manner.
• Provide a monthly notice of paid sick and safe time balance information to all of its workforce over a period of two months.

The Gig Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance went into effect on July 13, 2020, during the pandemic and applied to gig workers of “food delivery network companies” and “transportation network companies” of 250 or more gig workers worldwide. However, food delivery network drivers are no longer covered by the ordinance but are instead covered by a new law called the App-Based Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance.

Drivers at transportation network companies are also no longer covered by Seattle’s ordinance but by a new state-paid sick leave law.

DoorDash has been contacted by SIA for comment.