A Foodpanda spokesperson said that a third of its riders who were eligible had signed up for the grant"within the first few hours" of the scheme being launched.
“All applications will be shared with the Land Transport Authority for their approval and we expect more applications in the coming days,” said a Deliveroo spokesperson.The companies have tied the eligibility of the grant to the productivity of their riders. Those with fewer than 20 rides will receive 80 per cent of the grant first, with the remainder disbursed after completing 20 rides within 30 days after submitting the claims.
Delivery riders who are union members will enjoy three months of membership reimbursement, sponsored by NTUC, Foodpanda and GrabFood. The NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute will recommend suitable programmes for those who wish to switch to other professions. The 31-year-old is one of the riders who had attended Meet-the-People sessions over the past two weeks hoping to air their grievances.