Uber will offer millions of dollars in compensation to tens of thousands of passengers with disabilities who were charged additional fees, US prosecutors said Monday.
The case brought by the US Department of Justice focused on disabled passengers who were allegedly forced to pay waiting fees because they needed extra time to board vehicles.
As part of the settlement, Uber will issue more than 65,000 eligible riders with credits that are double the waiting time fees ever charged, which could potentially amount to millions of dollars.
The ride-sharing company also agreed to pay over $1.7 million to riders who complained to Uber about the charges and $500,000 to other affected individuals.
“People with disabilities should not be made to feel like second-class citizens or be penalized because of their disability, and that’s exactly what Uber has done with its wait-time fee policy,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said.
Uber said it was “delighted” with the deal.
“Prior to this matter being filed, we made changes so that any driver who discloses that they have a disability is automatically exempt from waiting time fees,” the company said.
Uber charges a fee if a driver has to wait more than two minutes to pick up a passenger, but the Justice Department said applying those fees to drivers with disabilities constitutes unlawful discrimination.
Under a two-year agreement, Uber will continue to waive waiting time fees for passengers who need more time to board due to disabilities, and will ensure refunds are easily available if such fees are wrongly levied, prosecutors said.
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