US court grants Uber drivers class action status in employment lawsuit

San Francisco

UBER drivers are entitled to class action status in litigation over whether they are independent contractors or employees, a key development in a case threatening Uber's business model and that of other hot startups dependent on similar service workers.

Three drivers sued Uber in a federal court in San Francisco, contending they are employees and entitled to reimbursement for expenses, including petrol and vehicle maintenance. The drivers currently pay those costs themselves.