A bill, which was introduced to New York’s City Council in June by Council Member Shekar Krishnan (D-Queens), seeks to protect Uber and Lyft drivers from being unfairly removed from company rosters. It would prohibit the banning of drivers without just cause or advance warning.
Krishnan said many of his constituents have taken out large loans to pay for cars that meet app-based company requirements, which they still have to pay off if they are “deactivated.” If passed, the bill would require companies to give drivers two weeks’ notice if they are going to be deactivated. Exceptions include drivers who are deactivated for “egregious misconduct” or “egregious failure to perform duties.”
The bill would establish an informal resolution process and guidelines for arbitration to appeal deactivations. It would also provide a one-year window, allowing drivers deactivated in the past six years to appeal and regain employment.
Anger over deactivations led to the creation of the Independent Drivers Guild – which was formed through an agreement between Uber and the International Association of Machinists.
Source: New York Daily News
