OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington state Senate unanimously passed a bill Tuesday that would make the state the first in the nation to write into law the right to paid family and medical leave for rideshare drivers.
House Bill 1570 passed 49-0 in the Senate Tuesday after passing in the House in March. It now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk for final approval.
The legislation provides rideshare drivers with the right to unemployment benefits and ensured that paid family and medical leave programs will be paid for by the service for which the driver works.
Under the law, drivers will have the right to up to 12 weeks of paid leave in the event of a medical event or the birth of a child.
Access to the programs is expected to come online for drivers in July 2024.
House Bill 1570 comes in addition to House Bill 2076, also known as the Expand Fairness Act, which was passed into law in 2022. HB 2076 set the highest statewide wage floor for drivers nationwide, and provided drivers with access to workers’ compensation insurance, paid sick time and protections against unjustified termination.
Washington state has more than 30,000 Uber and Lyft drivers, according to a 2022 study, mostly comprised of immigrants and people of color. The study also found that 30% of drivers and their families rely on food stamps in King County, with 24% living in federal poverty.
"Our lawmakers make history in this country," said Stephen Hoth, a field representative with Drivers Union WA. "This is the first step forward in Washington, we are so proud of this state because we are the first in the nation and first in the world at the same time."
"A driver now knows they don't have to make a choice between taking care of their loved one and putting food on the table," said Hoth.
Not only are drivers excited for the anticipated benefits, but riders KING 5 also spoke with believe it's well deserved.
“I think that's amazing. I think nationwide we should have that for everybody that's working," said Jennifer Bolt.
It's unclear how these new benefits will impact rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft or how the businesses will pay for them. Riders just hope it won't cause higher fares.
"I don't like the potential costs, but if that's what we have to do to support our fellow Americans,” said Bolt. “However, I do think that it should be the costs of the companies, I mean the rich keep getting richer we don't need to have billionaires, so why can't they just eat the costs."
A spokesperson with Uber sent KING a statement saying in part:
“This bill is the bookend to the historic worker bill HB2076 — a true compromise between state lawmakers, labor leaders and transportation network companies to afford drivers historic new benefits while protecting the independence and flexibility they say they want. We are thankful for the continued commitment and partnership with the Washington State Legislature, industry, labor, and thousands of drivers that make this possible.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson with Lyft sent KING a statement saying:
"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. 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."