Uber is warning all its drivers to stay home if they have symptoms of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus.

On Friday, the company sent a memo of recommendations like frequently washing hands and covering sneezes as well as encouraging drivers to turn away passengers who make them feel unsafe, according to Business Insider.

But Ubers advice struck drivers as tone-deaf: the company advised drivers to stay home if they start experiencing coronavirus symptoms like fever or respiratory trouble. Thats solid workplace advice from a public health standpoint, but it also assumes that sick workers can afford to stay home until theyre feeling better.

Its worth noting that Uber doesnt offer drivers sick leave. In fact, it doesnt consider them employees at all. So like other gig economy workers, if a driver stops taking passengers, they also stop making money. In that light, the company urging its contractors to stay home doesnt reflect the realities of life without a steady income.

Its a troubling disconnect. Nipping an outbreak in the bud could at least partially come down to the publics everyday behavior, but many dont have the resources to simply stop working when theyre not feeling 100 percent.

Original post:

Uber Tells Drivers to Stay Home If They Have the Coronavirus - Futurism