Cal. BPC § 7453 — California Code / Code bpc / Division 3 / Chapter 10.5 / Article 3 / Section 7453
Section 7453
Status: in_force

Earnings Guarantee. (a) A network company shall ensure that for each earnings period, an app-based driver is compensated at not less than the net earnings floor as set forth in this section. The net earnings floor establishes a guaranteed minimum level of compensation for app-based drivers that cannot be reduced. In no way does the net earnings floor prohibit app-based drivers from earning a higher level of compensation.

(b) For each earnings period, a network company shall compare an app-based driver’s net earnings against the net earnings floor for that app-based driver during the earnings period. In the event that the app-based driver’s net earnings in the earnings period are less than the net earnings floor for that earnings period, the network company shall include an additional sum accounting for the difference in the app-based driver’s earnings no later than during the next earnings period.

(c) No network company or agent shall take, receive, or retain any gratuity or a part thereof that is paid, given to, or left for an app-based driver by a customer or deduct any amount from the earnings due to an app-based driver for a ride or delivery on account of a gratuity paid in connection with the ride or delivery. A network company that permits customers to pay gratuities by credit card shall pay the app-based driver the full amount of the gratuity that the customer indicated on the credit card receipt, without any deductions for any credit card payment processing fees or costs that may be charged to the network company by the credit card company.

(d) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Applicable minimum wage” means the state mandated minimum wage for all industries or, if a passenger or item is picked up within the boundaries of a local government that has a higher minimum wage that is generally applicable to all industries, the local minimum wage of that local government. The applicable minimum wage shall be determined at the location where a passenger or item is picked up and shall apply for all engaged time spent completing that rideshare request or delivery request.

(2) “Earnings period” means a pay period, set by the network company, not to exceed 14 consecutive calendar days.

(3) “Net earnings” means all earnings received by an app-based driver in an earnings period, provided that the amount conforms to both of the following standards:

(A) The amount does not include gratuities, tolls, cleaning fees, airport fees, or other customer pass-throughs.

(B) The amount may include incentives or other bonuses.

(4) “Net earnings floor” means, for any earnings period, a total amount that is comprised of:

(A) For all engaged time, the sum of 120 percent of the applicable minimum wage for that engaged time.

(B) (i) The per-mile compensation for vehicle expenses set forth in this subparagraph multiplied by the total number of engaged miles.

(ii) After the effective date of this chapter and for the 2021 calendar year, the per-mile compensation for vehicle expenses shall be thirty cents ($0.30) per engaged mile. For calendar years after 2021, the amount per engaged mile shall be adjusted pursuant to clause (iii).

(iii) For calendar years following 2021, the per-mile compensation for vehicle expenses described in clause (ii) shall be adjusted annually to reflect any increase in inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Treasurer’s Office shall calculate and publish the adjustments required by this subparagraph.

(e) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to require a network company to provide a particular amount of compensation to an app-based driver for any given rideshare or delivery request, as long as the app-based driver’s net earnings for each earnings period equals or exceeds that app-based driver’s net earnings floor for that earnings period as set forth in subdivision (b). For clarity, the net earnings floor in this section may be calculated on an average basis over the course of each earnings period.