Empirical Study on the Protection of Rest Rights for Dedicated Food Delivery Riders under Algorithmic Control

With the continuous development of the digital economy, the scale of dedicated food delivery riders has expanded rapidly, but the issue of protecting their right to rest has become increasingly prominent. Based on empirical data from factor analysis of 136 judicial cases, in-depth interviews with 21 riders, and 6 station managers, this study identifies a platform algorithm management model comprising an algorithmic order-dispatching mechanism, an algorithmic incentive mechanism, and an algorithmic indirect management mechanism for dedicated stations. It analyzes how this model contributes to the difficulties in protecting riders' rest rights. Aiming at the two major dilemmas—"self-exploitation" caused by algorithmic management and the burden of proof in disputes due to the "algorithmic black box"—this paper proposes solutions: constructing a "counter-algorithm" protection mechanism and requiring platforms to disclose algorithmic decision dimensions and weights. These measures aim to better safeguard the rest rights of dedicated food delivery riders as new-form employees in the digital economy.