The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a law on Tuesday that will raise the minimum pay for Uber and Lyft drivers.
In a statement on the Seattle mayor's website, Mayor Jenny Durkan celebrated the city council passing her Fare Share Plan that would make ride-hailing companies pay their drivers the $16 minimum hourly wage, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2021.
"The pandemic has exposed the fault lines in our systems of worker protections, leaving many front line workers like gig workers without a safety net," Mayor Durkan said. "It is more important than ever that we add to the economic resilience of our community of drivers. The Fare Share plan guarantees that drivers will receive fair pay and can provide for themselves and their families."
The ordinance guarantees drivers will earn at least $0.56 per minute and $1.33 per mile driven while transporting passengers.
The measure uses a formula for drivers' compensation so they would be paid fairly when they're less busy.
