Chair Epstein asks DCWP about vest enforcement and worker gear

Yeah, I want to turn back to, I know Councilmember Brewer, Bill, earlier around vests and notices around workers.

Does DCWP have a role into ensuring that the

App companies are requiring the workers to have appropriate gear on for making that determination.

What oversight did DCWP provide to make sure that's actually happening on the street?

Well, we don't have a direct role, Council Member.

That's not what we enforce.

What I will say, and we're in regular touch with DOT and our other agency partners about this, is we do have concerns, candidly, that we don't want someone losing their job, possibly losing their place in this country because they don't have a vest on.

And again, I don't mean to minimize the importance of wearing these vests.

I think it's highly important.

But as you said earlier, I do think it is important to strike a balance and recognize, yes, we need enforcement.

Yes, we need to monitor this.

No, we should not have workers losing the job for, say, a first-time infraction.

I think an important point that was raised earlier was that

For years, the apps skirted compliance to certain laws in previous administrations.

And what Councilman Brewer's bill is going to be able to do is to connect noncompliance now with an implication on the apps license from DCWP.

So we're working closely with our colleagues at DOT.

I've been joining many calls with them and the apps and also with delivery workers as well to ensure that there is a smooth rollout of these requirements that doesn't have an unintended consequence of workers being deactivated.

But we're fully committed to enforcing that once it's in place.