Employment lawyer addresses Uber benefit proposal

Interview Summary

Uber Technologies has recently announced it is making changes to its model in an effort to provide its drivers with more benefits. Critics of the tech company however say this is the latest move to prevent drivers from pursuing their rights as employees, rather than independent contractors.

An Ottawa employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, the firm responsible for a class-action lawsuit against Uber, spoke with Kelly Cutrata on Global News Radio 640 Toronto to discuss what this decision will mean for drivers.

 Interview Notes

What is Uber’s motivation behind its latest announcement?

Uber is pushing forward to eventually legislate Uber drivers in a new and different category of workers and avoid complying with employment law. This model was implemented in California.

What is the new model Uber is proposing for its drivers?

Uber’s new system seems to imply there will be an amount of money that will be made available to certain drivers that they can put forward to a variety of things, such as health benefits or education. This system ignores the basic employment rights that drivers should be entitled to. This proposal only applies to drivers who have worked a certain amount of hours.

LEARN MORE
• Employee v. Independent Contractor
• Uber Class Action Certified by Ontario Court

Is this proposal by Uber an attempt to dissuade drivers from joining the class-action lawsuit?

It is possible that Uber could have intended drivers to be persuaded against joining the class-action however it is very early on in the process of the lawsuit. The class-action lawsuit strives to push for drivers to have all of the rights and protections that employees in Ontario have, such as minimum wage, vacation pay, etc.