Justice Dept. Sues Uber Over Disability Discrimination Claims
▼ Summary
– The U.S. Justice Department has sued Uber for violating federal law by discriminating against people with disabilities.
– Uber is accused of routinely refusing service to individuals with service animals or stowable wheelchairs and charging extra fees.
– The DOJ claims these actions violate the Americans with Disabilities Act and cause significant harm to affected individuals.
– Uber disagrees with the allegations, stating it has a zero-tolerance policy and takes action against drivers who violate accessibility rules.
– This lawsuit follows previous legal issues, including a 2022 settlement over similar discrimination claims.
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated legal action against Uber, alleging the ride-hailing giant has engaged in systematic discrimination against individuals with disabilities. The lawsuit claims the company and its drivers frequently deny service to passengers who use service animals or stowable wheelchairs, in direct violation of federal protections.
According to the complaint, Uber not only refuses rides to people with disabilities but also imposes additional fees on riders requiring accommodations, including charging cancellation fees when drivers decline to provide service. These practices, the Justice Department asserts, breach the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying equal access to transportation services.
Government lawyers emphasized that Uber’s actions have inflicted substantial harm, economic, emotional, and physical, on disabled individuals. They further contend that the company has failed to implement reasonable policy modifications to prevent such discrimination.
In response, Uber issued a statement expressing strong disagreement with the allegations. The company highlighted its zero-tolerance policy toward service denials and outlined steps it takes to enforce compliance, including mandatory driver acknowledgments of accessibility policies and permanent deactivation for violations. Uber also pointed to recent feature updates allowing passengers to self-identify as traveling with service animals.
This is not the first time Uber has faced legal challenges over disability access. In 2022, the company settled a prior Justice Department lawsuit concerning overcharging disabled passengers, paying millions in restitution. Individual lawsuits and public protests have also drawn attention to ongoing accessibility concerns within the platform.
The Justice Department’s latest suit, filed in federal court in Northern California, follows an investigation initiated earlier this year. Despite being notified of the probe, Uber’s efforts to address the issues have, according to regulators, fallen short of legal requirements.
(Source: TechCrunch)