More Amazon and gig workers are turning to SNAP and Medicaid to make ends meet, study finds
The GAO says 13.8 million employed adults were on Medicaid and 10.6 million on SNAP in 2024 as gig platforms overtook Walmart among food-stamp recipients.
- A new Government Accountability Office report found that Amazon workers enrolled in SNAP and Medicaid nearly tripled between 2020 and 2025 across 11 states, while gig platforms including Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash emerged as the largest single category of SNAP recipients.
- The GAO reviewed enrollment data from 11 states representing roughly one-fifth of the U.S. population, revealing that while Walmart remains the largest traditional employer of Medicaid recipients, Amazon's share of public-assistance beneficiaries has surged significantly since 2020.
- Data shows 12,346 Amazon workers relied on SNAP and 11,338 on Medicaid, prompting Senator Bernie Sanders to argue that taxpayers are effectively subsidizing low-wage business models unable to cover basic living expenses.
- Responding to the findings, Amazon contended the report is misleading for focusing on raw figures rather than percentages, while gig industry group Flex defended the sector, stating many workers "turn to flexible work to bridge the gap.
26 Articles
26 Articles
Study finds spike in delivery app drivers, Amazon workers receiving federal benefits
A new study released on Wednesday finds that dependence on food stamps and Medicaid for gig economy workers has spiked since the start of the pandemic. A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that the number of Amazon workers relying on federal assistance programs has tripled between February 2020 and September 2025. Walmart and…
More Amazon and gig workers are turning to SNAP and Medicaid to make ends meet, study finds
A growing number of Amazon and gig economy workers earn so little that they rely on public assistance to put food on the table and obtain health coverage, a Government Accountability Office study released Wednesday found.
A new report reveals the growing reliance of Amazon and gig economy workers on government assistance, highlighting the challenges these workers face. In short: working for Amazon or in the gig economy isn't easy. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), these jobs have seen a significant increase in the number of people relying on food stamps and Medicaid over the past five years. The GAO report, commissioned by Senator Bern…
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