ObamaCare for Taxi Drivers

picture by Zazzle.com

"Flagging Down Taxi Drivers To Sign Up For Obamacare

Dan Ware has been driving a taxicab in Chicago for more than a decade, but he still  doesn't have what many jobs offer: health insurance.

"I'm without health coverage," he says.

And that's not unusual, says Chicago Public Health Commissioner Bechara Choucair. "What we know in Chicago is that around 70 percent of taxi drivers are uninsured," Choucair says.

That means about 8,000 cabbies could be eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care 

Act. Nationwide, there are more than 200,000 taxicab drivers, and so in a few big cities 

— including Chicago — supporters of the Affordable Care Act are working to recruit them 

to sign up before this month's open enrollment deadline.

Choucair says a couple of years ago, a study showed taxi drivers in Chicago had plenty of health problems, largely due to the long hours they spend behind the wheel.

"They don't eat as healthy, they don't exercise as much and those are definitely risk factors for diabetes, for heart disease, for strokes," Choucair says.

Add to that chronic back issues that can come from sitting and health problems caused 

by traffic accidents.

Kevin Counihan, CEO of Connecticut's health insurance exchange, hopes to be able to market

 their expertise............. "

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Taxi Drivers and Their Religious Opinions

by Sasha Brown


Eight Florida 'Star Taxi' drivers claim their boss made them choose between prayer and their job
For a practicing Muslim, prayer is as important as the daily sustenance on food is for people. Understanding this fact has brought about laws that protect both employers and employees against discrimination. Employees losing their jobs because of their race or religion often sue for financial damages and sensitivity awareness against their employers. Some win, some don’t. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion and freedom in America is not to be stepped upon by anyone, native or not.

In Orlando Florida, eight taxi drivers working for a certain cab company were given the option to choose between practicing their religion or their jobs. These drivers are Muslims that need to pray in certain areas for five to seven minutes, five times a day. This means that time on the job has to be sacrificed because it is to their opinion that it is their right to practice their religion regardless of what they do for a living. With this case, the taxi drivers filed a suit against their employer because of the clear violation of state, federal and local laws that sates that employers must give reasonable leeway to drivers as long as it does not become a major draw back for the business.

San Antonio Airport taxi drivers seek help beating the heat

San Antonio airport taxi drivers seek help beating the heat
Drivers want covered parking or indoor facility built

“Cab driver” does not sound like it would be on a list of the “worst jobs to have in the summer”, but try telling that to the nearly 200 drivers that work at the San Antonio International Airport.
“We're all cooking here,” said Ricardo Delvalle. “We have to stay in cars with the A/C running, the engine running. It’s a waste, as far as gas.”

Unlike airports in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, the holding area for cab drivers at San Antonio International is a large uncovered parking lot.
There are two small aluminum canopies where drivers can sit in the shade, but without a larger covered area or indoor facility, many of them have to tough it out in the extreme heat.

Cabbie shortage in Australia

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Up to 1000 Greek Taxi Drivers Will be Hired to Ease Melbourne’s Cabbie Shortage

.The Australian government plans to invite taxi-drivers from the economically ravaged nation of Greece, promising them guaranteed jobs and an attractive lifestyle in Melbourne, according to a recent article from the Herald Sun online newspaper.

That will radically change Melbourne’s image as history will be repeated. There was a period when Greek cabbies were a feature in the big Australian city and that is about to be revived.

Many candidates will attend a circle of seminars in Athens where they will be familiarized with the needs of Melbourne, as well as the relevant legal frame.