OLYMPIA — A bill aimed at enhancing benefits for Transportation Network Company (TNC) drivers in Washington state was discussed in the Labor & Commerce Committee on Tuesday.
Senate Bill 6074, sponsored by Sen. Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) and focused on amending the workers’ compensation system, introduces provisions to ensure that death benefits are rightfully paid to TNC passenger drivers, including those working for companies like Uber or Lyft, even when they don’t have a passenger but are logged in to work.
The bill stipulates that death benefits under the workers’ compensation system must be disbursed to a TNC driver if a fatality results from an injury incurred while the driver was actively logged in to the TNC’s digital network, available for work, and physically situated inside or within the immediate proximity of the TNC driver’s vehicle. This legislative initiative recognizes the evolving nature of employment, particularly in the transportation sector, and addresses the unique challenges faced by TNC drivers during the waiting period or transit between rides when a death may occur.
“We must adapt to the evolving realities of modern employment, fostering fairness and equity to ensure that TNC drivers, essential to our transportation system, receive the protections they deserve, just like every other worker,” Saldaña emphasized.
This legislative initiative was prompted by a crucial gap identified last year. Saldaña explains, “We’ve ensured that TNC drivers have access to workers’ compensation, but there is a gap for when workers are logged in but not actively driving a passenger. This bill expands protections to address what happens in that unique situation where the driver formerly wasn’t considered working and, therefore, not covered by workers’ comp.”
The tragic death of Amare Geda this past summer served as the catalyst for this legislative initiative. Saldaña has collaborated closely with Geda’s family to address the specific circumstances surrounding fatalities occurring during the waiting period or while drivers are in transit between rides. Regrettably, Geda’s case is not isolated; numerous other families have experienced the loss of loved ones who worked as TNC drivers.
Kadija Mohamed, who delivered testimony during the committee public hearing lost her husband, Mohamadou Kabba, in a seemingly random shooting while he was seated in his car in Renton last year. Saldaña introduced this legislation as a tribute to all TNC drivers who have lost their lives, including Cherno Ceesay, Mohamed Kediye, Mohamadou Kabba, Amare Geda, and Abdulkadir Sariff Gedi.
Follow the bill’s progress here.
