The US Department of Justice is suing Uber for overcharging the disabled. You should get extra money for an extended waiting period.
The US Department of Justice is suing Uber for allegedly inflicting charges on disabled people. According to this, people in wheelchairs and those with walking difficulties should be given extra money for an extended waiting period. British and US media reported.
Basically, Uber charges a driver if the driver has to wait more than two minutes for their guest. However, the Justice Department finds that these charges discriminate against disabled passengers who need more than two minutes to get into a car. The company would thus comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“Send a strong message”
Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said the lawsuit aimed to send a “strong message that Uber should not punish people with disabilities just because they needed more time to get into a car.”
Uber denies the allegations
However, Uber stated that the fees shouldn’t actually apply to disabled people and that the company has refunded the fees. The company denies that its policies violate the ADA. According to the BBC, a spokesman said the company had held talks with the Justice Department prior to the “surprising and disappointing” lawsuit.
The waiting time fees were never intended for drivers who are already at their intended pick-up location but need more time to get on, he said. Uber will reimburse disabled drivers for waiting time fees if they alerted the company that they were incorrectly calculated, the spokesman said. “Following a change last week, any driver who confirms that they are disabled will now have their fees automatically waived,” he added.
Disabled people complain more often
In the past, there have been repeated complaints from disabled people who use the driving service. In April 2021, Uber was sentenced to pay a blind San Francisco woman $ 1.1 million after being denied a ride 14 times in a row. British Paralympics medalist Jack Hunter-Spivey said in September 2021 that Uber and other taxi drivers regularly drove away when they saw him in a wheelchair.
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Source From: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
