Court rules out in favor of Uber drivers to take legal action to determine their status

A big win for Uber drivers in California, as a judge has allowed them to take legal action to find out whether they are contractors or employees. Three Uber drivers have filed case against Uber stating that they were employees of the company.

Lonnie Giamela, a labor lawyer in Los Angeles, said, “Today's ruling sets the stage for a trial and a legal battle that will have dramatic implications for Uber's business model as well as more generally how independent contractors are viewed under California law”.

US District Court Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco made the decision. In the case, many plaintiffs said that they were employees of the company, but due to expenses and tips they have been shortchanged.

Another important thing is that Chen has granted class-action to the lawsuit. Uber said that very few current drivers will be able to qualify for the lawsuit. On the other hand, the judge said that the number is expected of qualifying drivers could reach in hundreds.

Shannon Liss-Riordan, a lawyer representing drivers in the case, said that there would be many thousands who will be eligible to take part in the legal action. Chen has also rejected the claim of Uber that there was no typical Uber driver.

Chen said that Uber has no evidence to support its claim ‘that some innumerable legion of drivers prefers to remain independent contractors rather than become employees’.