The Seattle City Council passed a measure creating new benefits for gig workers in the city, becoming the latest local government to boost protections for workers who don’t have employment status.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to pass the legislation—touted by worker groups as first-of-its-kind in the country—that provides a pay floor and increased flexibility for workers for companies including DoorDash, Inc., AmazonFlex, and Grubhub, Inc., but also retains their status as independent contractors. The measure will take effect in 18 months.
“We live in an expensive city and these workers make below the minimum wage,” said Seattle City Council member Lisa Herbold, the bill’s sponsor. If app-based companies must pay their workers a subminimum wage to sustain their model, “there should be a reconsideration if that model works,” she added.
Workers on both sides of the debate testified before the panel, saying they feared the negative consequences of the legislation and also that they wanted to be able to earn a living wage from the work. Representatives from Shipt, DoorDash, and Instacart argued for more study on the impact of the bill, and more analysis to ensure it wouldn’t hurt the workers or the consumers and businesses that work with them.
“As drafted, the measure risks the economic security and a crucial source of earning opportunities for these workers,” said Justin Hyer, director of state...
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