The United States Department of Justice on Thursday (September 11) filed a lawsuit against Uber, accusing the ride-hailing giant of violating federal law by discriminating against individuals with disabilities.
In a complaint submitted to the Northern District of California federal court in San Francisco on Thursday, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated that Uber drivers frequently refuse to provide services to passengers with service animals or collapsible wheelchairs.
The Justice Department also alleged that Uber and its drivers charge unauthorized fees, including cleaning fees for service animals and service cancellation fees to passengers who have been denied service.
The complaint stated, “Although Uber’s services are critical for people with disabilities, it denies individuals with disabilities full and equal access to its services in several key respects.”
The complaint further accused Uber drivers of “insulting and demeaning individuals with disabilities, or asking them inappropriate questions,” and sometimes refusing certain reasonable requests, such as allowing passengers with mobility impairments to sit in the front seat.
Uber has previously faced lawsuits from passengers for allegedly violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. The Justice Department had also previously accused Uber of charging discriminatory fees to individuals with disabilities, but the two parties reached a settlement agreement in 2021, with Uber agreeing to pay over $2 million in compensation to tens of thousands of passengers and make modifications to its policies.
Following the new charges brought by the Justice Department on Thursday, Uber expressed opposition. A spokesperson for the company responded in a statement, saying, “We strongly disagree with the Department of Justice’s accusations.”
“Passengers using guide dogs or other assistive devices should be entitled to a safe, respectful, and welcoming experience with Uber – this goes without saying,” the statement read. “We have a clear zero-tolerance policy for confirmed refusal of service behavior.”
The spokesperson added that every Uber driver must “confirm and agree to comply with” Uber’s service animal policy implemented in the United States and all applicable accessibility laws before using the company’s application. If violations are confirmed, the company will take “decisive action,” including permanently banning relevant drivers’ accounts.
Uber also stated that its service guidelines prohibit discriminatory behavior and introduced a new feature earlier this year to improve the experience for passengers with service animals, including providing drivers with a video to further explain relevant policies to passengers.
Following the news of the Justice Department’s lawsuit, Uber’s stock price narrowed its gains, but as of 2:14 PM New York time on September 11, the stock price still rose by 0.7%.