News
Goldberg Kohn Labor & Employment Principal Meredith Kirshenbaum is quoted in "Uber, Lyft Drivers Strike Across US, Demanding Fairer Pay," published in the February 14, 2024, edition of Reuters.
The article concerns the strike staged by drivers for Uber and Lyft and delivery workers for DoorDash. The workers are seeking fair pay and better treatment, claiming that rideshare and food delivery platforms are taking disproportionate sums from their fares as fees, hurting their earnings.
"The Valentine's Day collective action is coming at an advantageous time for gig economy workers, as the test for classifying a worker as an independent contractor, rather than an employee, is getting more demanding."
This comes after Uber and Lyft agreed last year to pay $328 million to resolve New York State's multi-year investigation into the companies, which Attorney General Letitia James called the largest wage theft settlement in her office's history.
And last month, the U.S. Department of Labor released a final rule making it easier for gig economy workers to claim they are employees. Uber and Lyft drivers are considered independent contractors.
Said Meredith: "The Valentine's Day collective action is coming at an advantageous time for gig economy workers, as the test for classifying a worker as an independent contractor, rather than an employee, is getting more demanding."
