Alleged Uber Pay Discrimination Prompts Lawsuit

According to a recent lawsuit filed by three women in California, Uber pay discrimination was a critical issue for employees of color. The Uber pay discrimination lawsuit states that the behavior was carried out based on gender and race in terms of how workers were treated in terms of compensation and promotions.

Promotions and More Named in Uber Pay Discrimination Lawsuit

Complaints were filed directly with the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency by the three engineers. Two of those engineers have since left the company. In the legal claim, the three engineers claim that people of color and women working for Uber are given smaller bonuses, less opportunities for equity, are promoted at a slower rate than their peers, and are given less equity in the company. The Uber pay discrimination lawsuit details that people of color are defined as Latino, Native American, and black for the purpose of the claim.

This legal action comes just eight months after Uber was required to address their company culture from previous claims of sexism and sexual harassment. One employee published a widely-read account of her experience with both discrimination and harassment while she worked for the popular ride-sharing company

Key to the Uber pay discrimination lawsuit are claims that the stack ranking system works against women and people of color. Managers have to rank their employees, a program that the women who filed the suit claim put them at a disadvantage with their peers. Allegedly, Uber managers assigned women tasks less rigorous or important than their peers in addition to failing to provide clear ways to understanding their responsibility and next steps.

The claims go beyond what happens in terms of passing off assignments, too. The compensation for employees at Uber is based on their previous earnings elsewhere- a method that many advocates argue is one way to exacerbate past issues with wage gaps affecting women and people of color.

The plaintiffs in this Uber pay discrimination lawsuit want damages and wages in addition to changes to performance evaluations and equal employment opportunities with Uber. Companies accused of perpetuating discriminatory practices can be found responsible in court when an employee brings a suit. Both state and federal laws are in place to protect employees from discrimination. Often pay discrimination allegations emerge because of past employee experiences at the company.

Often, issues such as those named in the Uber pay discrimination lawsuit are extremely complex to verify because of the degree to which an employer’s actions may be shielded by what seem like fair employment practices. The plaintiffs are calling attention to claims that the stack ranking system is flawed and puts employees at a disadvantage from which they cannot easily receive appropriate recognition.

If you or someone you know has already been negatively affected by pay discrimination or other illegal employment practices, gathering evidence and consulting with an experienced lawyer is strongly recommended. The attorneys at Bradley/Grombacher are currently investigating legal claims from employees who were subjected to pay discrimination.

Note: Bradley/Grombacher is not representing the plaintiff in this lawsuit.