This is the sixth installment in a 12-part series where we uncover the stories of the people behind your deliveries.
POSTMATES CONNECTS FLEET TO HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
At Postmates, we understand that choosing the right healthcare provider can be daunting, particularly for freelancers, independent contractors, and other small business owners. For this reason, Postmates has partnered with Stride for the third year in a row to take the guesswork out of selecting healthcare.
Stride will assist our Postmates in navigating questions about important government resources like www.healthcare.gov, and many more. Through the Stride partnership, Postmates joins forces with the Tech United for Independent Access to Healthcare — a coalition of on-demand, sharing-economy, and tech-health platforms — to provide as many people as possible the most up-to-date information about this year’s Open Enrollment period.
Starting today, we are launching a co-branded multichannel campaign for the Postmates Fleet with tools, resources, and educational content designed to take the stress out choosing health insurance.
Resources our Fleet can expect from us going forward:
Personalized recommendations for health insurance based on preferred doctors, prescription drugs, and medical conditions
Access to more plans than government exchanges (at the same price)
Phone, chat, and email support for any and all health insurance questions on a year round basis
By partnering with Stride, our Fleet will save time and money by avoiding additional insurance and tax costs. On average our Postmates will save $300 per month on health insurance through Stride.
Postmates works with Stride, our preferred health insurance provider, to provide affordable access to health insurance for independent contractors. Enrollment runs from Nov. 1 (or October 15 if you live in California) through January 19.
POSTMATES CONNECTS FLEET TO FREE HEALTH SAVINGS
At Postmates, we are passionate about empowering our Fleet to take greater control of their financial wellness to build healthier futures.
That’s why we are building upon our partnership with Stride Health, which connects our Fleet to health care navigation resources during Open Enrollment, by teaming up with Starship to pilot a new vehicle that makes saving and paying for healthcare easier, for those with qualifying coverage plans.
Starship offers a free Health Savings Account (HSA) that has all the tools needed to save, spend, and invest for healthcare. With Starship, Postmates with HSA eligible health coverage will be able to stash away money tax-free into an HSA, swipe their Starship card on eligible health expenses tax-free, and even automatically grow their extra funds tax-free in an investment account for just $1/m.
The partnership, which launches today, will connect the Postmates Fleet with better tools, resources, and educational content designed to take the stress out saving and paying for healthcare. From career development resources to tax filing resources, to HSAs, we are committed to experimenting with connecting a suite of resources to our Fleet, and measuring adoption and impact to better understand the needs of an independent workforce. Such experiments will ensure that we keep worker voice central to discussions around building a new social compact for independent work; and ensure that we make targeted, and tailored benefit investments rooted in data.
Here’s what you can expect from Starship:
A freshly printed Starship debit card for eligible health payments
Access to a sleek mobile app to track health savings, spending, and investing
Savings threshold for automatic investments in low-fee funds
Digital receipt storage for recordkeeping
Easily reimburse yourself back for out-of-pocket expenses
Live chat and email support for all things health savings
By partnering with Starship, our Fleet will save money through the incredible tax-free contributions HSAs offer. On average, Postmates who contribute $2,000 into a Starship HSA can save more than $500 in taxes annually.
Postmates works with Starship, our preferred health savings provider, to provide access to a free health savings account for independent contractors. Postmates can enroll in Starship anytime, and Starship will help determine eligibility during enrollment. Get started today at https://starshiphsa.com.
POSTMATES + JVS: FUND YOUR DREAMS, YOUR BILLS, OR BOTH
Postmates is built on the idea that technology can and should be leveraged to leave a lasting and positive impact on the users and communities we touch. This includes the core belief that economic and upward mobility should be readily available for all who want it.
Which is why we are proud to announce a pilot partnership with San Francisco-based JVS (Jewish Vocational Service), whose career pathway programming transforms lives by helping people build skills to find jobs and achieve self-sufficiency.
The gig economy offers options for economic security at a moment’s notice. We are proud to be a part of that; whether your reason for joining the Postmates Fleet is to fund your dreams, your bills, or both.
For some in our Postmates Fleet, this means being able to fund your dreams as an artist, as is the case for Alexia A.. For many others, it means having a financial cushion when life throws you a curveball–which is where Vianne C. found herself last year when the sudden loss of a place to live upended her comfortable life.
But we believe in offering more than that.
Through the end of the year, Bay Area-based Postmates Fleet who have completed at least 10 deliveries on our platform will have the opportunity to participate in Job Search Accelerator (JSA), a 2-week intensive designed for people who have a target job in mind but may need help sharpening the skills needed to nail the interview process.
The JSA program is traditionally funded with grants from the Department of Labor, which has strict guidelines around who qualifies. By providing private funding, we are able to remove those barriers to entry and widen the net of those within our Fleet who can apply.
“As the world of work changes and more people work in the platform economy, JVS is excited to launch this partnership with Postmates to help fleet members navigate their careers and achieve their goals.”
— Abby Snay, CEO, Jewish Vocational Service
Postmates accepted into Job Search Accelerator will receive —
36 hours of job search skills training
Mock interviews
1-on-1 career advisement
Weekly group support and seminars
Access to additional mock interview practice events
Access to alumni support online
Small-group sessions focused on resumes and other materials.
This partnership comes after months of efforts aimed at gaining a deep understanding not only who the members of our Fleet are, but what motivates them to participate in the gig-economy, and ultimately, how to create a sustainable future of work while providing a positive experience that extends beyond what has traditionally been largely online.
“Postmates has always been about unlocking the best of our communities. From supporting local businesses and accelerating the discovery of the tastes & products that define the character of our neighborhoods, we recognize we are not just transforming the flow of commerce in cities — we are also shaping the future of work in an era of the new digital economy. While our Postmates fleet values the flexibility of working on our platform, we know they are also designers, musicians, parents and entrepreneurs. By partnering with JVS we are looking to pair the unique skills and backgrounds of our Postmates to new career development resources. This will not only enable our inaugural pilot class to reach towards their aspirations, but it will also allow us to evaluate the investments necessary to bridge worker flexibility and economic mobility for a 21st century workforce.”
-Vikrum Aiyer, VP Public Policy, Postmates
THE FLEET ADVISORY BOARD: UNLOCKING THE BEST IN OUR FLEET
It’s no secret that the Postmates Fleet are the real deal.
Whether they’re bringing you a burrito and pedialyte to the office because yesterday’s happy hour escalated into happy night… or delivering you a much needed coffee an hour before your presentation, the Postmates Fleet has got your back.
They also have a wealth of knowledge about their local neighborhoods, merchant partners, and a shared passion for Postmates.
This is why we have created the Fleet Advisory Board (FAB): a new joint effort that taps into our top Postmates to improve the Fleet experience. The FAB will launch first in Los Angeles and San Francisco with plans to expand across other key markets in the future.
Consisting of a handful of our most experienced Postmates along with select members of Postmates HQ, the FAB will create localized content, host meet-ups, and help identify other learning and growth opportunities, all designed to help our Fleet maximize their days and profits both on and off the platform.
We look forward to introducing our founding members in the next few weeks — stay tuned.