Marijuana Business Magazine September 2019

Marijuana Business Magazine | September 2019 110 In a world that largely views Uber and Lyft drivers as the ultimate gig workers, it would seem that cannabis companies could hire temporary workers to deliver products to their customers. But in January 2018, California regulators stipulated that drivers for cannabis companies had to be classified as employees and paid at least the minimum wage, rather than work as independent contractors. “It was a requirement that we fully embraced and expanded upon to provide a better environment for our drivers and reflect the culture of our company,” said Robert Braun, senior operations manager of retail and delivery at Caliva, a producer and distributor of cannabis products. Caliva’s delivery drivers work set shifts and are paid at least minimum wage. They also have benefits such as health insurance and 10 vacation days a year. The company offers both full- and part-time employment to its driving team. Braun said that while Caliva has used temporary workers for other positions in the past, the company does not have any openings for them now. “As a growing organizatiobrn, we have to find different types of employees,” he said. “We find that our full-time employees who are engaged in our business day to day find value in the work and are more engaged.” While many cannabis businesses turn to temporary workers to help with certain jobs when they’re short- staffed, some find they get better help if they bring people into the company fold. Sava, which delivers curated cannabis goods to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area, used contract employees early on but found that if the employees work for the company rather than a temp agency, they’re more invested in the business. “They’re not all full time, but they are all employees,” Sava co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Andrea Brooks said. “Making sure they are employees goes with the values of our company. We need to make sure everyone feels valued and feels they are part of the team. We are one big unit that moves together. Every component is critical to the healthy functioning of the company.” Sava said employing drivers is critical because they are the ones who interact with the customers most. They are hourly employees, rather than salaried, because they are part-time workers and use their own vehicles. They fill out IRS FormW-2, the wage and tax statement, rather than the Form 1099 that contract workers complete. And they are reimbursed for mileage. These employees also accrue sick days but do not get paid vacation. “Some places, drivers are considered disposable, and there’s not a lot of investing in them,” Brooks said. “But they’re the ones interacting with the customer. They need to feel like they’re part of the team, so we treat it like it’s any other job.” – Margaret Jackson Who’s Driving the Gig Economy? Robert Braun. Courtesy Photo Andrea Brooks. Courtesy Photo a good gig