CLAIMANT, WHO DISTRIBUTED NEWSPAPERS, WAS AN EMPLOYEE ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS (THIRD DEPT).
The Third Department determined claimant, who distributed newspaper and other publications, was an employee of Gannett Satellite Information Network and was therefore entitled to unemployment insurance benefits:
Claimant was assigned delivery routes within a defined area, was required to deliver the newspapers by a certain time and was paid at a specified per-paper rate … . Additionally, claimant was required to provide proof of a valid driver’s license and insurance, was offered (and declined) additional accident coverage provided by a carrier utilized by Gannett and was precluded from placing any inserts or additional materials in the newspapers that he was delivering … . Finally, one of the two agreements signed by claimant reflects that he elected to purchase a tablet from Gannett — with the purchase price paid via weekly deductions from the moneys owed to claimant for his delivery services. Matter of Clifford (Gannett Satellite Info. Network, Inc.–Commissioner of Labor), 2019 NY Slip Op 08898, Second Dept 12-12-19