Employment lawyer on changes to Uber operations in Canada

Uber Canada has announced it will be moving its base from the Netherlands to Canada on July 1, 2021, in a shift that will affect drivers in various ways. The tech giant is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in Ontario. While the company insists the shift is simply for tax purposes, some have questioned what the change and a new agreement will mean for its drivers.

An employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, the firm pursuing legal action against Uber, explains to the Canadian Press that drivers need to be wary of signing a new Uber contract.

Belitzky goes on to explain that the new contract drivers are being given asks them to agree not to pursue class or collective action against Uber, much like a previous agreement.

“Uber wants drivers to agree to settle their issues through arbitration or on an individual basis instead, but offers instructions on how to opt-out of that clause,’ the lawyer says.

“The opt-out information is right at the end and it’s in a lot of legalese, so most Uber drivers, they don’t even see it,” the lawyer continues adding “they don’t realize that their rights are being impacted.”

Any driver who receives a new Uber agreement is urged to look carefully at the document before accepting and signing it.