With the passage of House Bill (HB) 1570, Washington has taken a significant step forward in recognizing the rights of ride-hail drivers.
It remains to be seen whether other states will follow suit.
Washington has become the first state in the U.S. to grant ride-hail drivers the right to paid family and medical leave after the state Senate unanimously passed HB 1570 earlier this month, a recent Tech Crunch report said. Under the new law, ride-hail drivers in Washington will gain access to the same program as other workers in the state, offering up to 12 weeks of paid leave if a serious health condition prevents them from working or if they need to take time off to care for a family member or a new child. The cost of a driver’s premiums for the program will be fully paid by the app-based companies, such as Uber and Lyft, for which the driver works, according to the union.
“Today is a landmark in the fight for worker rights nationwide,” Drivers Union president Peter Kuel said in a statement, according to Tech Crunch. “In the State of Washington, drivers must no longer choose between caring for unwell loved ones and putting food on the table. This victory is a demonstration of what drivers can achieve when they organize together to fight for the rights that every worker deserves.”
The passage of the bill in Washington is a significant victory for ride-hail drivers and could could have an effect in other states where gig workers are fighting for employment benefits, Tech Crunch reported. For example, California's legislature recently voted to uphold Proposition 22, a ballot measure that classifies Uber and Lyft drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Prop 22 was previously passed in November 2020, but a lower court ruled that it was unconstitutional.
In 2022, Washington also passed the Expand Fairness Act that established a high statewide wage floor for drivers and ensured protections against unjustified deactivation, workers’ compensation insurance and paid sick time.
“This is another historic win for drivers in Washington state and is a continuation of the progress made last year with the passage of HB 2076, first-in-the-nation legislation to provide drivers in Washington with numerous benefits,” Lyft in a statement, according to Tech Crunch. “HB 1570 would add paid family medical leave and unemployment insurance benefits to that list. These new benefits and protections are the result of legislators, app-based companies, and labor organizations listening to drivers and working together.”
The bill now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature. The program is expected be available to drivers beginning in July 2024.