Uber says that its drivers are freewheeling agents, able to set their schedules and hours as they choose. As such, they're contractors, and not eligible for benefits such as health coverage or vacation days. Three drivers who disagree with that sentiment filed a lawsuit against Uber, and they just scored a big win against the ride-share giant.
A federal judge ruled Wednesday that not just the three plaintiffs but up to 160,000 workers could reap the (potential) rewards of this class action lawsuit against Uber. The three drivers claim they should not have been classified as independent contractors, but rather as full-time employees. Initially, the suit was limited to drivers who didn't accept Uber's arbitration agreements upon signing up to drive for the company. But U.S. District Judge Edward Chen is expanding that initial scope. Now, thousands of UberBlack, UberX, and UberSUV drivers could also be affected by the outcome of this case.
Uber is standing by its original stance, and plans to appeal the decision, the Los Angeles Times reports.
"As employees, drivers would lose the personal flexibility they value most — they would have set shifts, earn a fixed hourly wage, and be unable to use other ride-sharing apps," Uber said in a statement, according to Bloomberg Business.
The case will go to trial this coming summer, on June 20.