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LAFCO pivots gig‑worker survey to COVID‑19 impacts, accepts $5,000 grant and schedules public‑bank report
Summary
LAFCO accepted a $5,000 San Francisco Foundation grant to support a COVID‑19 survey of on‑demand workers; Executive Director Brian Gobel said the team will combine roughly 700 completed pre‑pandemic surveys with about 300 targeted COVID‑impact responses and present preliminary findings May 2 and to the commission on May 15. An intern's public‑bank report is due at month end.
LAFCO voted to accept and expend a $5,000 grant from the San Francisco Foundation to support a COVID‑19 survey of on‑demand workers and associated incentives, Executive Director Brian Gobel told the commission on April 17.
Gobel said LAFCO had completed about 700 surveys before suspending the broader on‑demand worker study after the shelter‑in‑place order; the team pivoted to a shorter COVID‑19 survey intended to collect roughly 300 additional responses, plus follow‑up in‑depth interviews and research. He said the combined findings and LAFCO recommendations will be ready in draft form by May 2 and presented to the commission at the May 15 meeting.
Gobel described four survey categories: how COVID‑19 affected the number of gig jobs and pay, workers' access to health insurance and paid sick leave, urgent needs (emergency funds, healthcare, exposure protections), and worker practices around preventing virus spread and working while ill. He said the report will include short‑ and long‑term recommendations to improve economic security for app‑based workers, promote accountability among delivery and ride‑hailing companies, and strengthen worker safety and public health.
Gobel said the project team has been collaborating with community groups including Gig Workers Rising, Rideshare Drivers United and Jobs with Justice for outreach and interviews. Commissioners asked whether federal relief and unemployment benefits had reached gig workers; Gobel agreed to add that question to the presentation and follow up in the May 15 materials.
Separately, Gobel introduced intern Kara Yee, who is preparing a report on bank accountability and the public‑bank initiative with an equity lens; she said the report would be completed by the end of the month and that she would present key takeaways and recommendations at the next LAFCO meeting.
Next steps: Draft survey findings and LAFCO recommendations on gig workers due May 2; USF student report expected April 30; LAFCO presentations of combined findings and recommendations scheduled for May 15.
