Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced significant legal actions against delivery applications on January 15, 2026, aimed at improving protections for the city’s 80,000 delivery workers. These enforcement measures come in response to reports of exploitation by delivery companies, including attempts to evade new tipping laws that are set to take effect later this month.
During the announcement, the Mayor explained that the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) recently revealed through a report that companies like Uber and DoorDash manipulated their tipping interfaces, resulting in a loss of over $500 million in tips for workers. As the new laws will prohibit such practices, the administration is determined to hold these companies accountable (Source: https://youtu.be/JGdCR7hf7S8&t=1256).
Legal actions taken include a lawsuit against Moto Click, focusing on allegations of wage theft and failure to comply with minimum pay rates. The city plans to enforce these laws vigorously, indicating that any delivery app violating them can expect legal repercussions (Source: https://youtu.be/JGdCR7hf7S8&t=871). The administration aims to eliminate loopholes that delivery companies have used in the past to exploit workers, thereby ensuring dignity for all workers in the sector (Source: https://youtu.be/JGdCR7hf7S8&t=954).
The changes coming into effect will expand protections from food delivery workers to all contracted delivery workers. Recent testimony indicates that the current laws primarily protect restaurant delivery workers, but new measures will also encompass grocery delivery services. This shift acknowledges the need for equitable treatment as both sectors experience similar working conditions (Source: external context, https://youtu.be/gWxwSPUywFs&t=3165).
Moreover, the administration plans to enhance minimum pay standards, which previously saw significant increases for the restaurant delivery workforce. Advocates for delivery workers argue that these new protections must not only include better pay but also essential safety measures and greater job security (Source: external context, https://youtu.be/gWxwSPUywFs&t=262).
As these developments unfold, the Mayor emphasized that the city’s support would not be limited to regulation; it would extend to a broader commitment to worker rights. The expectations are clear: failure to comply with the new laws will result in accountability for the delivery companies, setting a precedent for the treatment of employees across New York City (Source: https://youtu.be/JGdCR7hf7S8&t=1678).
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