Uber and Lyft are Backing Independent Contract Bill

Uber and Lyft are at it again, according to Reuters, after spending $220 million to get Prop 22 enacted in California last year. The businesses are part of a coalition working to get a bill on the Massachusetts ballot next year that would designate drivers as independent contractors. Uber, Lyft, Doordash, and Instacart are among the members of the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work.

Of course, they’re all app-based businesses that rely on freelancers to make deliveries. The plan was submitted with the state’s attorney general, who is not on their side. Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and Instacart Inc are among the members of the Massachusetts Coalition for Independent Work, which filed the proposal with the state’s attorney general, who must certify whether the proposed issue meets constitutional standards.

Maura Healey, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit last year to overturn Uber and Lyft’s classification of their drivers as independent contractors who are not entitled to benefits such as minimum wage, overtime, or paid sick time. If the filing is approved by the attorney general, the group will need to collect signatures on a petition to get the proposal on the ballot.

The plan would set an earnings baseline for app-based rideshare and delivery drivers of 120 percent of the Massachusetts minimum wage, or $18 an hour before tips, in 2023. To cover car maintenance and gas, drivers would be guaranteed at least $0.26 every mile. If drivers work at least 15 hours each week, rideshare and delivery network companies would be required to provide healthcare stipends. Drivers may also be eligible for paid sick time, as well as paid family and medical leave.