Waitr to layoff 2,300 statewide in an effort to move delivery drivers to contract-based workers

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The Lafayette, La.-based food delivery company Waitr will be laying off 2,300 delivery drivers statewide on April 6 in order to restructure its employment model.

Dean Turcol, a spokesperson for the company, told WAFB the layoffs are an effort to convert workers to contract-based employment.

Waitr delivery drivers are currently paid hourly, according to Turcol.

Under the 1988 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, companies are legally required to provide a minimum of 60 days notice of a mass layoff to affected workers, State Dislocated Worker Unit, and the appropriate unit of local government.

The company notified the state and its delivery drivers of the layoffs on Feb. 3.

Waitr currently operates in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and Shreveport.

In a letter to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Waitr notifies the state that it will be... — In a letter to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Waitr notifies the state that it will be laying off 2,300 delivery drivers across the state. A company spokesperson said the layoffs are happening in an effort to convert the drivers to independent contractors.(WAFB)

Waitr notified the Louisiana Workforce Commission on Feb. 6 that it would be laying off 2,300... — Waitr notified the Louisiana Workforce Commission on Feb. 6 that it would be laying off 2,300 delivery drivers statewide. The company says the layoffs are in an effort to restructure the drivers' employment model to independent contractors.(WAFB)

WAFB’s sister station KPLC reported that employees were notified in an email on Feb. 3 of the upcoming mass layoff and that employees would be able to become independent contractors immediately following the layoffs.

“After months of discussions and feedback from our driver community, we are excited to announce that we will be moving to an independent contractor driver model,” the Feb. 3 email said.