When Kirsten Bladh was looking for work in urban planning, she was surprised that almost all of the public sector listings she saw required a driver's license, even though they were mostly white-collar jobs and often located in communities that have many bike lanes and public transportation options. .
This is not an unusual experience for California job seekers. Requiring a driver's license appears to be a standard part of the selection process, regardless of whether driving is required for the job. Even a bicycle mobility planning job in a Southern California city insisted that applicants have a license.
The requirement is not only arbitrary but discriminatory.
It unfairly closes jobs to certain groups, including people with disabilities that prevent them from driving, young adults and low-income people who cannot afford a car or insurance, and people who choose not to drive for personal reasons. Having a driver's license is irrelevant to a person's skills and abilities. If a potential employee is qualified and can reliably show up at the workplace and get the job done, why should it matter whether they drive or not?
Bladh, who is now associate director of state policy for Streets for All, decided to turn her frustration into legislation. The group worked with Sen. Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) on a bill that would make it illegal, under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, for employers to require applicants to have a driver's license unless the job include driving.
Senate Bill 1100 It's a smart change that has so far passed through the Legislature without opposition. That's good. California should eliminate unnecessary barriers to employment.
The driver's license requirement is a particularly pernicious barrier because it can be used as a subtle way to screen candidates based on their income, race, and socioeconomic status. It is expensive to own a car and pay for car insurance in California, and proof of vehicle insurance It is necessary to take a driving test. And if people can't afford to own a car, it's less necessary for them to get a driver's license.
Studies have shown that black and Latino drivers in California are more likely to have their suspended licenses due to unpaid fines, which is driven by the state's extraordinarily high fines and fees and racial profiling in traffic stops, according to the California Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory Board.
Additionally, the requirement to obtain a driver's license perpetuates the stereotype that a responsible adult is an adult driver. It encourages car dependency, which only worsens traffic and air pollution. Driving should be a choice, not a requirement today. And California is spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year building transit, walking and biking infrastructure so more people can safely and easily choose to get around without a car.
Bladh said she was particularly confused to see so many urban planning jobs requiring a driver's license, when much of the work is designing modern cities to reduce people's dependence on cars.
“You would think it would be beneficial to have someone choose to live car-free.”
