Uber will no longer force victims of sexual assault into arbitration (why the FUCK in the first plac
Uber will no longer force victims of sexual assault into arbitration (and confidentiality agreements)
Uber says it is taking steps to help reduce the culture of silence around sexual violence on its platform in the wake of a CNN investigation into sexual assaults and abuse by Uber drivers. The rideshare company said Tuesday it will no longer force into arbitration passengers who allege that they have been sexually assaulted or harassed by drivers -- something Uber says was previously required under its terms of service. Instead, Uber will *****allow*** (how very gracious of them!) victims of sexual violence, including riders, drivers and employees, to choose the venue in which they want to pursue redress of their sexual harassment or assault claims, whether that's arbitration, mediation or open court.
The change comes two weeks after CNN reported the results of its investigation (in only 20 cities!), which found at least 103 Uber drivers in the United States who have been accused of sexually assaulting or abusing their passengers in the past four years. The drivers were arrested, are wanted by police, or have been named in civil suits related to the incidents. It was the first time that numbers have been put to the issue. Previously, upon signing up for Uber's service, Uber says users agreed to resolve any claims on an individual basis through arbitration. The practice, which has been challenged in lawsuits, helped the company keep the issue quiet, according to critics. Lyft, an Uber competitor, has a similar terms of service that says users will agree resolve claims through arbitration. "We think it is very, very important to allow survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment the control and agency that was, frankly, stripped from them in that incident," Uber's chief legal officer, Tony West, told CNN in a phone interview. West added, "I want to thank (CNN) for the reporting that you've done on this issue." Despite repeated requests, the company has yet to agree to an on-camera interview with CNN. West, who joined Uber in October 2017, served as associate attorney general during the Obama administration, and helped with the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.
Uber also announced two other policy changes pertaining to sexual assault. The company will no longer require confidentiality as part of settlement agreements in lawsuits pertaining to sexual assault or harassment. As with the arbitration change, this will apply to cases currently pending and cases moving forward. Additionally, it will publish a "safety transparency report" that will put numbers behind sexual assaults and other incidents that occur on its platform. To do so, it will develop a common taxonomy for how to classify sexual harassment and assault reports, which it plans to also make available to other companies. The lack of transparency about the number of incidents perpetrated by drivers has been a sticking point by victims in lawsuits, which claim Uber tries to hide the true scope of the issue from its customers.
"It's only by accounting and acknowledging [reports] that we are empowered to take action in reducing the incidents of sexual assault," said West. "We want to bring these numbers out in the open. We want people to acknowledge the enormity of the issue, and we want us to begin to think of constructive ways to prevent and end sexual assault."
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http://money.cnn.com/2018/05/15/technology/uber-eliminates-forced-arbitration/index.html