This legislation may seem a little outdated to you, and it is, but up until recently, several states in the US had restrictions that made it impossible for people to find employment without a driver’s license.
Naturally, this regulation is (and was) a ridiculous restriction that prevented people from entering the workforce for many years using the ridiculous justification that “you cannot work here because you do not have a driver’s license.” What? Why?
Unfairly excluded from employment were those with disabilities, young people without the funds to pay the test, and even recently arrived migrants who had the necessary paperwork.
However, this injustice has recently ended. Law SB5501 has been legally enacted, therefore starting July 27 of this year, at least in Washington, that ridiculous norm will finally end. It’s fair and simple: no one can ask for your driver’s license when you apply for a job.
The license is not required
This regulation essentially states that if the job you’re seeking for doesn’t involve driving, They are unable to demand a license. They would even request a driver’s license for a telephone operator position at an office until recently!
An estimated 12% of Washingtonians are thought to be disabled, and it is nearly impossible for them to find employment.
Therefore, it was imperative that this law be changed. For those individuals as well as others who just do not wish to possess a driver’s license.
This is something they have been requesting for years
“Even if we live in well-connected areas or work from home, they still ask us for a license for no reason,” says Anna Zivarts, director of the Disability Mobility Initiative, the group that is working to repeal this rule.
Employers are being forced by this new regulation to explain when driving is actually required. They cannot need it if it isn’t. Now it makes sense, doesn’t it?
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In other words, only those who want to use a car will need to possess a driver’s license under this bill.
It isn’t limited to those with impairments
What percentage of Americans do not possess a driver’s license? All of those individuals have witnessed how the requirement for that paperwork prevented them from applying for a job.
Bicycles, public transit, and remote work have become commonplace; don’t you think the labor market required a shift as well? This law was created in response to a genuine citizen demand rather than as a unique idea.
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Are similar modifications being made in other states?
Of course, Oregon and California will likewise implement SB 5501. Since access to any work shouldn’t be hampered by needless obstacles, we sincerely hope that more states would join our project.
However, Mike DeWine’s education policy has changed, and Ohio will now offer road safety instruction in schools.
One of the law’s supporters, Senator Derek Stanford, summed it up by saying that we shouldn’t disqualify competent applicants simply because they aren’t drivers. And, of course, we concur with him.
Some states are lowering barriers, while others are taking the opposite action. For instance, 15-year-olds can now seek for a license in Kentucky. a wager on personal mobility that runs counter to states like Washington’s inclusive agenda.
One of them puts inclusiveness first, the other speed first.
This highlights the distinction between the two. However, removing barriers seems like a better, or at least more humane, choice in a nation with unequal public transportation and a labor economy that is changing quickly.
