That could include greater attention paid to improving indoor air quality as well as flexible work arrangements. Still, what East Coast states experienced this week and previous episodes of smoke clogging the air in other parts of the US aren’t one-off events and instead should highlight the need for policy change, said Mark Borgschulte, a University of Illinois labor economist who last year co-authored a working paper on the effect of wildfire smoke on the labor market. The New York governor’s office this week announced a wave of advisories and efforts in response to the spike in the Air Quality Index, including the issuance of health directives for individuals, the distribution of masks, suspension of school activities, enhanced protection measures for racehorses, the offering of refunds for park visits, and the deployment of a forest ranger team to Canada. Uber did not immediately return a query for comment. “I pay for my gear, my goggles, my mask, everything with the money that I earn,” he told CNN, noting the $125 to $150 he earns from an eight- to 14-hour shift mostly comes from tips. Medina, a member of the Los Deliveristas Unidos worker protection collective, said Uber does not provide masks or other protective equipment to workers like him. He added: “We are following developments closely and will continue to be in close contact with our people as the situation evolves.”

We are talking with our drivers and workers in affected areas to review CDC guidelines and local guidance from elected officials.” “This includes the speedy distribution of masks for our employees in affected areas. “We are working on a variety of immediate actions,” Jim Mayer, UPS spokesman, wrote via email.

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