On September 28, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1100 into law making it an unlawful employment practice to include statements about the need for a driver’s license in job advertisements, postings, applications, and similar employment material. In California, driver’s licenses have increasingly become a condition of employment. The law addresses discrimination against individuals without driver’s licenses by eliminating this requirement as a condition of employment unless certain requirements are met.

Under the law, an employer may not include a statement that an applicant must have a driver’s license unless the following conditions are satisfied:

• The employer reasonably expects driving to be one of the job functions of the position.
• The employer reasonably believes that using an alternative form of transportation would not be comparable in travel time or cost to the employer.

An “alternative form of transportation” can include, but is not limited to:

• Ride-hailing services.
• Taxis.
• Carpooling.
• Bicycling.
• Walking.

This law takes effect January 1, 2025.