App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance
Rules: SHRR Chapter 240 (Administrative Rules)
Rules: SHRR Chapter 140 (Complaint Procedure)
2024 Notice of Rights for App-Based Workers
App-Based Worker Pay Calculator
On May 31, 2022, City Council passed the App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance, SMC 8.37.
This law is effective on January 13, 2024.
The ordinance applies to certain app-based workers (sometimes referred to as gig workers) and provides for several rights and protections for covered workers. Key rights include:
- Minimum Payment: Right to minimum pay based on the time worked and miles travelled for each offer.
- Transparency: Right to upfront disclosures of offer-information and right to receipt and payment records.
- Flexibility: Right to access the network platform without limitations (except for health and safety limitations), right to not be penalized for limiting availability or refusing offers, and the right to cancel an offer with cause.
The Office of Labor Standards (OLS) invites public comment on changes to select rules proposed for the App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance.
On November 28, 2023, the Office of Labor Standards (OLS) published Seattle Human Rights Rules (SHRR) Chapter 240, the administrative rules for SMC 8.37. In the published chapter, OLS reserved the rules section “Affirmative Production of Records (SHRR 240-160).”
OLS now invites public comments on proposed new rules section “Affirmative Production of Records (SHRR 240-160),” which regulates the routine and affirmative records that covered network companies shall transmit to OLS. OLS also invites public comments on proposed changes in rules sections “Definitions (SHRR 240-110)” and “Recordkeeping (SHRR 240-230),” which were made pursuant to “Affirmative Production of Records (SHRR 240-160).”
The proposed rules can be viewed by clicking here
Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposed rules in writing. Written comments must be received no later than 5:00 PM PST on September 5th, 2024.
Comments may be mailed, or delivered to: Seattle Office of Labor Standards, ATTN: Shuxuan Zhou, Policy Analyst, 810 Third Ave, Suite 375, Seattle, WA, 98104 or emailed to laborstandards@seattle.gov with the subject line: “Comments: App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance Proposed Rules.”
Minimum compensation: Network companies must pay the greater of
- Minimum per-minute amount of $0.44 and minimum per-mile amount of $0.74
OR
- Minimum per-offer amount of $5
Rate Updates: Updated rates for the per-mile, per-minute, and per-offer amounts are effective on January 13, 2024, and January 1 of each year thereafter. These rates will increase based on annual inflation and standard mileage rate adjustments. The first adjustment of per-offer amount will be on January 1, 2025.
Notice of Rights: By March 13, network companies must send their Notice of Rights to the Office of Labor Standards. Each company must also submit the registered legal name and trade name of the company as listed on their Seattle business license tax certificate as well as a contact name and contact information for the company. Network companies can send the required information to business.laborstandards@seattle.gov.
The Notice of Rights must be made available in the network company’s worker platform in English and the primary language spoken by the worker.
Translations of the Notice of Rights are available in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese (traditional), Japanese, Korean, Oromo, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrigna, and Vietnamese on the App-Based Worker Ordinances webpage here or on the Seattle Office of Labor Standards Languages webpage under “App-Based Worker Protections” at https://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards/resources-and-language-access/languages.