Employment Law

Personal Injury

Uber settles sexual harassment claim for $4.4 million

by | Dec 23, 2019 | Sexual Harassment |

Many people in Missouri use Uber ridesharing for their transportation needs. In 2017, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Uber for sex discrimination and retaliation. After the EEOC conducted an investigation into the allegations, Uber agreed to a settlement with a $4.4 million fine. Money from the settlement will be dispersed among Uber drivers who have experienced sexual harassment or retaliation from Jan. 1, 2014 to June 30, 2019.

The EEOC investigation was conducted after reports surfaced about the Uber work environment while Travis Kalanick was acting as CEO. According to the findings from the investigation, Uber allowed a culture of sexual harassment to foster. Investigators also found evidence that individuals at Uber who had complained about sexual harassment were retaliated against.

The Chief Legal Officer for Uber released a statement following the settlement saying that the company is working hard to ensure that operations become more fair and accountable. In addition to paying sexual harassment victims for damages, Uber has agreed to identify which managers failed to respond appropriately to complaints. The EEOC will be monitoring Uber over the next three years, and female Uber employees who may be eligible for compensation will be notified about the settlement.

Many sexual harassment cases involve a toxic work culture that affects a vast number of employees. Cases like these may be complex, but they are strengthened by the fact that there could be many witnesses. A person who believes that they have been burdened by a hostile work environment where sexual harassment is normalized may want to talk to a lawyer about their case. A lawyer may be able to help the employee to file a claim for compensation for lost wages and other damages.

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