Delivery Rider Crashes and Is Paralysed After Distraction by Order-Grabbing Alert as New Work Injury Compensation Framework Stops Short of Mandatory Coverage

Platform delivery riders in Hong Kong lack statutory work injury compensation protection and are generally covered by insurance taken out by the platform companies themselves, and the government plans to legislate a work injury compensation mechanism for platform workers. In May this year, delivery rider Joe received an order-grabbing notification from the Keeta platform while riding a motorcycle, looked at his phone after being distracted and crashed, leaving him paralysed from head to toe, and he has still not received insurance compensation. His wife Ah Yee hopes future legislation can protect delivery riders throughout their entire online period, and that work injury sick leave pay should align with existing labour legislation.