Following $100M Deal, Uber Will Release Value of Wage and Hour Claims

Earlier this month, Uber agreed to release the total estimated value of the wage and hour claims brought forth by Uber drivers.

Uber says that by releasing this information it has previously held as confidential, it may help eligible class members in two proposed class action lawsuits evaluate the deals in light of the proposed settlement amounts.

Uber has agreed to settle for as much a $100 million wage and hour class action lawsuits that allege employees suffered under an independent contractor misclassification when they were actually treated like employees.

Uber’s decision to release the previously confidential information came as a response to an order by U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen who asked the company to explain if the combined value of the claims should be filed under seal.

Uber agreed to release the information on the value of the claims but raised concerns that other data under seal should remain confidential because it included trade secrets of the company.

The ride-sharing company did acknowledge it could help eligible class members to review the amount of claims brought against Uber to review as part of the process of settlement approval.

“By voluntarily disclosing plaintiffs’ estimates regarding the aggregate value of their claims, while preserving the confidentiality of the underlying trade secret information used to reach those estimates, Uber seeks to strike a just and fair balance that will fully enable the public to evaluate the reasonableness of the parties’ settlement agreement,” Uber’s brief stated.

The proposed settlements announced in late April said that Uber would pay $34 million to 385,000 California and Massachusetts drivers, and if the company went public and met certain performance standards, it would give an additional $16 million.

A handful of drivers opposed the settlement, with one driver calling the deal a “joke” and another saying that Uber controls it drivers like puppets.

Judge Chen asked the parties to explain why the potential monetary value of the claims should not be publicly disclosed.

“Here, a significant portion of the information that the parties seek to file under seal is highly material to an assessment of whether plaintiffs’ settlement falls within the range of possible approval,” stated Judge Chen.

Uber stated that it wanted to continue to maintain the following information: “on-ride” miles logged by Uber drivers during the class period, the total of fares charged, the total fees charged and plaintiffs’ estimates of the value of their individual claims.

Uber maintained this information contained trade secrets that could be used by competing services.

“Because Uber does not wish to unnecessarily impede the public’s access to this information, and in fact desires for absent class members to see for themselves the material benefits this settlement agreement will afford them in the face of the substantial costs and risks associated with further litigation, Uber withdraws its request to seal plaintiffs’ estimate of the aggregate value of their claims,” Uber’s response read.

These settlements won’t end Uber’s continued legal battle. Not long ago, Uber was hit with another proposed wage and hour class action lawsuit that would represent drivers from the other 48 states alleging independent contractor misclassification and missing tips.

The Uber Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits are O’Connor et al. v. Uber Technologies Inc. et al., Case No 3:13-cv-03826 and Hakan Yucesoy v. Uber Technologies Inc. et al., Case No.15-cv-00262, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

UPDATE: On Aug. 18, 2016, a California federal judge rejected Uber’s proposed $100 million wage & hour class action settlement finding that an arbitration provision included in the agreement may unfairly benefit Uber and deserves further consideration before determining if the deal is worthy of approval.

UPDATE 2: May 2019, the Calif., Mass., Uber driver misclassification class action settlement is now open. Click here to file a claim.

Filing a Wage and Hour Lawsuit

If you believe your lawyer has engaged in independent contractor misclassification, has withheld tips, has denied breaks, not paid overtime or engaged in any other potential wage and hour violations, you may be eligible to seek legal compensation.

A wage and hour attorney can review your case for free and can help you determine if you are eligible to take legal action.

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If you were forced to work off the clock or without overtime pay within the past 3 years, you have rights – and you don’t have to take on the company alone.

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