Breaking the Silence: How Brooklyn’s Gig Workers Are Fighting Back Against Sexual Harassment

The gig economy has transformed how millions of Americans work, offering flexibility and independence to rideshare drivers, delivery workers, and other independent contractors across Brooklyn and New York City. However, this new economy has also created unique vulnerabilities, particularly when it comes to sexual harassment. Recent studies reveal that among gig workers surveyed, 16 experienced sexual harassment or assault, with women delivery workers facing gender-specific risks from both customers and the general public, including sexual harassment and threats from customers.

Unlike traditional employees who work in supervised office environments, gig workers often find themselves alone with customers in private settings—whether it’s a rideshare driver with passengers in their vehicle or a delivery worker entering someone’s home. This isolation gives predators unique opportunities to exploit and assault drivers and passengers, with female drivers especially at risk of unwanted physical contact, sexual violence, or other acts of sexual misconduct.

The Scope of the Problem in Brooklyn’s Gig Economy

According to Uber’s US Safety Report, both passengers and drivers have been accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment, with 68% of incidents involving drivers assaulting riders, while 31% involved riders assaulting drivers. However, these statistics likely underrepresent the true scope of the problem, as women gig workers often “brush off” harassment because they’re concerned about how customers will rate them.

In New York City, women make up 24% of delivery workers, with Worker Justice Project estimating about 65,000 delivery workers citywide. These workers, who predominantly live in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn and are immigrant workers from Latin America, South Asia, West Africa, and China, face additional barriers when seeking help due to language barriers and immigration concerns.

Legal Protections for Brooklyn Gig Workers

The classification of gig workers as independent contractors rather than employees has historically left them with fewer legal protections. However, New York has been expanding these protections significantly. New York State Sexual Harassment laws now protect any individual who may be an employee, paid or unpaid intern, non-employee, or independent contractor, regardless of sexual orientation or gender.

Protections against sexual harassment now cover many independent workers in New York, which is an important step toward fairness in workplaces that are not traditional in structure. Additionally, under New York State policy, outside vendors, independent contractors, and gig workers are protected from harassment and discrimination.

The Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act expanded the City Human Rights Law to investigate sexual harassment claims going back three years and extends protections to all employees, regardless of the size of their employer. This means even gig workers working for small platforms or individual contractors have legal recourse.

Unique Challenges Facing Gig Workers

Gig workers face several unique challenges when dealing with sexual harassment:

• Most rideshare drivers are independent contractors and have fewer rights to demand safer work conditions
• Workers are rated for their performance on platforms, and women gig workers develop response mechanisms to protect their ratings and future work opportunities when experiencing harassment
• The field often ignores their particular needs such as protection from harassment, meaning gendered concerns are marginalized
• Involving law enforcement could potentially escalate situations or waste valuable money-making time

Taking Action: Your Rights and Options

If you’re a gig worker in Brooklyn experiencing sexual harassment, you have legal options. Gig workers may be covered under certain anti-discrimination laws, particularly if they perform ongoing work for a company or platform and are treated similarly to employees.

The first step is documenting incidents thoroughly, including dates, times, locations, and any witnesses. Report the harassment through the platform’s complaint system and keep records of all communications. You should also consider filing complaints with government agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the New York State Division of Human Rights.

For Brooklyn gig workers facing sexual harassment, consulting with an experienced sexual harrassment lawyer Brooklyn, NY can help you understand your rights and pursue compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. You could be entitled to compensatory damages for lost earnings, emotional distress, denial of promotion or raises, punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer, reimbursement of legal expenses, and an injunction or court order protecting you from future harassment and retaliation.

The Path Forward

At firms like The Howley Law Firm, attorneys care about clients, listen to them, help them make smart decisions, and fight for their rights to compensation and justice, having helped clients recover millions of dollars for sexual harassment, discrimination, and unpaid wages.

The gig economy doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your right to work free from sexual harassment. Working in the gig economy doesn’t mean giving up your rights, and with New York’s expanding legal protections, Brooklyn’s gig workers have more tools than ever to fight back against harassment and hold platforms and perpetrators accountable.

If you’re experiencing sexual harassment as a gig worker in Brooklyn, don’t suffer in silence. Document the incidents, report them through appropriate channels, and consider consulting with a qualified attorney who understands both employment law and the unique challenges facing gig workers. Your safety and dignity matter, regardless of how you’re classified as a worker.