U.S. Judges Defer Decisions to Settle Uber, Lyft Class-Action Lawsuits
Two U.S. judges deferred the decision to settle class-action lawsuits from Uber and Lyft drivers of Friday.
Reuters notes, a $27 million settlement, brought about by Lyft, was deferred so that U.S. District Judge Vine Chabria could decide whether drivers from a separate lawsuit should get money from the deal.
An Uber settlement, with a payout of up to $100 million, was also deferred by Judge Edward Chen, who said he would need more time to decide.
If approved, the settlements would keep drivers on as independent contractors. The drivers, who sued the ride-sharing services, claimed that they should be considered employees and reimbursed for the expenses, like gas and car maintenance. They are also upset that the settlement amount is substantially lower than what they requested.
The Verge claims that Uber has plans to add in options in their app that would make working easier for their drivers. Some of the changes include fining riders for long waits, upgrading its destination feature, and giving drivers company branded debit cards.
The companies will receive decisions from both judges later this year.
Both of the ride-sharing services have faced opposition around the world. Taxi-drivers have slammed the services for stealing customers and turning the industry upside down. Several states have voted to ban the services and many are planning to join in on the protest. The services are currently operating in states like, California, New York, and Miami. Several class-action lawsuits are pending.
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