One of the fastest-growing segments of the service economy in the U.S. is the food delivery and rideshare industry. The top three food delivery and pick-up service providers generated more than $15.5 billion in 2023. Between them, these companies operate with more than 3.3 million drivers.
Most Gig companies conduct pre-employment background checks to uncover a candidate’s criminal past and previous driving records. However, it is possible for some of the 3.3 million drivers who work in food pickup and delivery or ride sharing to engage in unlawful activities after they have been hired. Headlines tell the story: NPR reported that more than 9,000 sexual assault complaints were filed against the drivers of one rideshare company between 2017 and 2020. Rideshare drivers in this and competing food-delivery and rideshare companies have also been accused of assault, child molestation, hit-and-run, theft, and gun crimes.
Just One Gig Company’s Hit-And-Run Nightmare
In January 2020, a food delivery driver in Pennsylvania regained his driver’s license following a two-month suspension for ignoring a traffic citation. However, he continued to perform his food pick-up and delivery service for a major food delivery company throughout the time his license was suspended.
Food delivery drivers are paid per delivery plus tips. Working in such a pay system provides an incentive to complete as many deliveries as possible as quickly as possible. On this occasion, while driving to a delivery destination, the Pennsylvania food delivery driver raced through an intersection so fast that he struck and killed a 29-year-old woman crossing the street in a crosswalk. The driver did not stop. Instead, he completed the food delivery for which he was paid $16.75.
Some weeks later, the driver was arrested and charged with manslaughter and related offenses. He was released on bail and then returned to his food delivery duties with the same Gig delivery business. The driver completed almost a thousand more deliveries before the Gig company learned of his criminal charges and terminated his contract.
The deceased victim’s estate and surviving family filed suit against the food delivery company seeking millions of dollars in compensation alleging the business was negligent in its lax verification procedures and failure to provide adequate oversight of its drivers.
PostHire’s Continuous Workforce Screening Empowers Risk Mitigation
How can any company protect itself from civil liability and reputational damage when a current employee or contract worker intentionally harms a member of the public while working for the business? While there is no way to anticipate a person’s first criminal offense, workers who jeopardize a company’s name and financial health are often involved with the criminal justice system in the weeks and months preceding a catastrophic event.
PostHire’s Continuous Workforce Screening product identifies and tracks any criminal charge filed against an employee anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day. Whether a worker is charged with DUI, domestic violence, disorderly conduct, or illegal drug possession, your company’s security and risk management team receive near-real time notice of the court filing.
Traditional pre-hire background checks only provide snapshots of an individual’s criminal history at a specific point in time. Even costly periodic rechecks can miss important updates as they are typically performed only once a year.
Many screening companies offer solutions that rely solely on arrest information for employee monitoring, which can be limited in coverage and accuracy. Implementing PostHire’s Continuous Workforce Screening, which uses near real-time court data covering over 98% of the population, means that you be notified immediately if any of your workers are charged with a misdemeanor or felony, 24/7.
Protecting Your Company from Nightmare Scenarios
While most drivers working with these Gig businesses are considered independent contractors, companies contracting with third parties or employing their own fleet of drivers continue to bear the risk of legal liability for the criminal or negligent conduct committed by their contract drivers who assault or injure others during their shift.
How did a national food pick-up and delivery company continue to contract for months with a driver who was charged with manslaughter? They were in the dark because they were not employing continuous workforce screening.
If the Gig company used PostHire’s Continuous Workforce Screening service, the company’s management team would have been immediately notified of their driver’s arraignment on the same day it occurred.
Contact PostHire to learn about a customized workforce monitoring plan for your company.
