This week, NYC health care organization MetroPlusHealth launched a helpful new website, created specifically to assist gig workers and their families.
The site provides gig workers with easy access to health care services, along with all of the resources that are available to them via NYC agencies — including mental health services, rights protection information and much more.
MetroPlusHealth said the reason why it created the online resource was because NYC is comprised of several gig, freelance and contract workers who do not receive benefits, which can leave them having to decide between expensive health insurance or opting for no insurance completely.
By launching the website, MetroPlusHealth said it hopes to address the issue by providing easy enrollment for gig workers and their families to the organization’s no-cost health, vision and dental plan.
“Gig and freelance workers make up roughly 34% of the New York City workforce, but many of these workers struggle to access the resources they need to survive and thrive in the City,” said MetroPlusHealth President and CEO Talya Schwartz, MD. “Through our partnerships with City agencies and community partners, we hope to build awareness of our offerings and further our goal of making health care accessible and affordable for all residents of New York City.”
Gig work can come in many forms, including artists, nannies, shoppers, bartenders, laundry workers, app-based delivery workers and more.
NYC specifically is home to around 65,000 app-based delivery workers, many of whom are migrants and members of minority communities, according to MetroPlusHealth.
The health care organization said these delivery workers were anticipating a minimum wage raise this past July, but it was put on hold, leaving these workers to choose between spending on essentials like housing, food and their own health.
In light of these types of situations, MetroPlusHealth says that health care is a human right and should be extended to all parties, including individuals in unconventional work sectors.
“As our City’s workforce continues to evolve, it’s crucial that we strive to ensure that all workers are protected, regardless of how ‘untraditional’ the nature of the work might seem,” said Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga.
MetroPlusHealth’s gig worker resource site can be found at metroplus.org/Gig.
