Uber is settling a charge made against the company in 2017 from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission pertaining to sex discrimination and retaliation. To settle this claim, Uber has agreed to pay a fine of $4.4 million.
In a press release from Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it mentions that the investigation found reasonable cause to believe that Uber “permitted a culture of sexual harassment and retaliation against individuals who complained about such harassment.”
Commenting on this settlement, Uber Chief Legal Officer Tony West said: “We’ve worked hard to ensure that all employees can thrive at Uber by putting fairness and accountability at the heart of who we are and what we do. I am extremely pleased that we were able to work jointly with the EEOC in continuing to strengthen these efforts.”
The EEOC had launched the investigation following reports pertaining to Uber’s workplace while under the leadership of then CEO Travis Kalanick. As part of the settlement, Uber will divide the $4.4 million between those who the EEOC determines experienced sexual harassment and/or retaliation at Uber after January 1, 2014. Uber will face monitoring by former EEOC Commissioner Fred Alvarez for the next three years.
Along with that, the company has also agreed to establish a system to identify employees who have been the subject of more than one harassment complaint, as well as identify managers who have not responded to sexual harassment concerns in a timely manner.
Now, a claims administrator will send notices to every female employee who worked at Uber at any point between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019. The EEOC will then determine who is eligible for monetary relief.
As part of its bid to increase transparency, Uber recently revealed that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018. Drivers and riders were both attacked in the reported assaults, while some of the assaults occurred between riders.
