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Judge Broadens Scope of Driver Lawsuit Against Uber
A U.S. district judge in San Francisco has allowed thousands of additional California drivers to be part of a lawsuit against Web-based ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc.
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A U.S. district judge in San Francisco has allowed thousands of additional California drivers to be part of a lawsuit against Web-based ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc.
The decision exposes Uber to a considerably larger expense if it loses the case. A win for the drivers also would challenge the company’s fundamental business model, which touts drivers as free agents able to choose when and where they provide service.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status on behalf of 160,000 drivers who have worked in California with Uber since 2009. They claim Uber has been shortchanging them on tips and want the company to treat them as employees.
Judge Edward Chen initially certified several hundred drivers. But on Wednesday he broadened the eligible group to include drivers who had signed arbitration agreements with Uber. He also said the group could seek phone and vehicle expenses.
Uber says it will appeal Wednesday’s ruling and expects to win on the merits of the case.
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