A relief fund set up by the New Orleans Business Alliance seeks to help “Gig Economy” workers who have been affected by a loss of income amid the spread of coronavirus.
The workers represent over 8% of the local workforce and include including rideshare drivers, musicians, arena workers, and festival production staff, a news release from NOLABA said. As contract employees, they typically lack access to minimum wage, paid sick leave, overtime pay and standard employee benefits.
NOLABA said it’s committing $100,000 to start the fund and has a goal of increasing that to $500,000.
“With the cancellations and postponements of many large local events on the horizon, this community stands to lose out on millions of dollars of potential income, directly impacting their livelihoods and well-being,” a statement from the organization said.
Learn more about the fund here.
