Who's Got A Ticket To Ride? New Commuting Legislation For 50+ Employers

The new Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program requires employers with 50 or more full-time employees in the Bay Area (included counties listed below) to offer commuter benefits to their employees. Employers subject to the program must select a commuter benefit, register via the program website and implement their program by September 30, 2014.

The Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program requires these employers to offer one or more of the following commuter benefit options to their employees:

·      Option 1: Pre-Tax Benefit - Allow employees to exclude up to $130 of their transit or vanpooling expenses each month from taxable income.

·      Option 2: Employer-Provided Subsidy - Provide a subsidy to reduce or cover employees’ monthly transit or vanpool costs, up to $75 per month.

·      Option 3: Employer-Provided Transit - Provide a free or low-cost transit service for employees, such as a bus, shuttle or vanpool service.

·      Option 4: Alternative Commuter Benefit - Provide an alternative commuter benefit that is as effective in reducing single-occupancy commute trips as Options 1, 2 or 3.

Failure to comply may incur a financial penalty—amount determined on a case-by-case basis. Although the agency won’t be able to audit everyone, remember that employees who don’t get this benefit will be able to seek remedies at 511.org.

Employers can visit 511.org and click on Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program for program information and employer outreach staff assistance or call 511 and say “Commuter Benefits” at the first prompt to help employers get started or contact Judy Pearce, 650-518-0327.

*Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma