Keeta rider paralysed in delivery crash exposes loophole in Hong Kong gig worker law
HKFP · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Joe (surname not disclosed), a 54-year-old motorcyclist working for food delivery platform Keeta, suffered near-complete paralysis after a road accident in May while on a delivery run. He was momentarily distracted by a notification from the Keeta app reminding him to accept an order when he collided with a broken-down vehicle on So Kwun Po Road roundabout in Sheung Shui. The crash compressed the intervertebral disc between the third and fourth segments of his spinal cord, causing irreversible damage despite major surgery. Five months after the accident, Keeta has made no progress on his insurance claim and no company representative has followed up with him. He remains bed-ridden at Tai Po Hospital, where he receives full-time care and daily physiotherapy sessions.
Key Points
- Joe sustained a compressed spinal disc between the third and fourth vertebrae in the May crash, leaving him with near-complete paralysis
- Keeta, backed by Chinese retail giant Meituan, has been processing his insurance claim for five months with no resolution or follow-up
- Under proposed legislation, delivery workers injured in accidents between orders would be ineligible for statutory compensation
- A Labour Tribunal ruling in 2023 established an employment relationship between couriers and delivery platforms, yet workers remain classified as self-employed
- Under Hong Kong labour law, employees aged 40-55 with permanent total incapacity are entitled to compensation of at least 72 months' earnings, but gig workers cannot access this
Why It Matters
Labour activists view Joe's case as evidence that the proposed platform worker legislation will fail to protect delivery couriers, leaving them without the safety net available to formal employees while platforms avoid accountability. The case has intensified calls for stronger protections to ensure safe working conditions and full employer responsibility from delivery companies operating in Hong Kong .
Labour activists view Joe's case as evidence that the proposed platform worker legislation will fail to protect delivery couriers, leaving them without the safety net available to formal employees while platforms avoid accountability. The case has intensified calls for stronger protections to ensure safe working conditions and full employer responsibility from delivery companies operating in Hong Kong .