New York City’s 91%-immigrant workforce of 85,000 For-Hire Vehicle drivers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Our work requires that we interact closely with strangers every day. Not only our physical health is at risk– as people stay inside to mitigate the spread of the virus, we are suddenly facing unemployment. Unfortunately, as independent contractors, we are excluded from unemployment benefits.

We are ready to do our part in the war against this public health crisis, but we can’t do it alone. We demand the following:

• Emergency Funds for drivers to cover household bills from the City of New York, State of New York, and Federal Government and payment for drivers to make home deliveries to the home-bound using sanitized vehicles during the crisis.

• 60-day postponement of all TLC fees and licensing requirements.

• 60-day forbearance from rental companies, auto financing companies, and TLC insurance companies (American Transit, Hereford, and others) with no late fees.

• Moratorium on deactivation of drivers by Uber and Lyft in this crisis.

Together we will defend our communities and defeat the Coronavirus. We are ready to do our part. We call on the government and private sector entities to join us in meeting the crisis.

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Facts You Should Know about Your Benefits as an FHV Driver

IDG partners with The Black Car Fund to provide drivers free and discounted benefits, including affordable ticket help, free eyeglasses, savings on prescriptions and dental care, counseling, and others! Have questions? Visit us online or call us at 833-814-8590 (Monday-Friday 8 am-8 pm).

As you may know, the Black Car Fund provides drivers in the black car industry with workers’ compensation benefits. In order to help its covered drivers stay healthy and reduce accidents that lead to injuries the Black Car Fund is sponsoring this Program for the purposes of injury and medical claims reduction. The Program is provided to you as a driver covered by the Black Car Fund and is not intended to provide you with any rights of employment or to otherwise affect your status as an independent contractor with respect to the Black Car Fund or with the dispatch base you are affiliated with. While we hope you will participate in the Program, the Program is entirely voluntary and you are not required to participate. If you are an employee driver, this Program is not sponsored or endorsed by your employer. The Program is not intended to be covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”). If you register for the telemedicine benefits available under the Program, you may become ineligible to contribute to a health savings account. Consult with your tax advisor for more information. The Black Car Fund reserves the right to revise or terminate this Program in whole or in part at any time, and for any reason.