San Francisco Employers - Mandatory Transportation Benefit Coming

The San Francisco Supervisors passed a new ordinance requiring certain employers to provide certain commuter benefits. The ordinance is here. Here are the highlights:

Covered employers: employ 20 employees or more (anywhere, not just in SF).

Eligible employees: non-exempt employees who perform 10 or more hours of work in SF per week.

Benefit: The employer can either (1) enroll in a "commuter check" program where pre-tax funds are taken out of employees' paychecks so they can purchase transportation with pre-tax dollars or (2) buy employees transit passes worth up to $45.00 per month or (3) operate a "van pool" to take employees to and from work.

Effective Date: On about December 8, 2008.