In a novel lawsuit that caught the attention of the national media, an Asian American man from Hawaii has brought a discrimination lawsuit against Uber, the ride hailing company.¹ The lawsuit alleges that the five-star rating system, whereby passengers rate their drivers, disproportionally leads to the firing of people of color and those who speak with accents.
People of Color and Accents
Among the allegations is that Plaintiff Thomas Liu was fired because his star rating on the app fell below 4.6 out of a total of 5 stars. Mr. Liu alleges he would be rated lower because he was Asian and spoke with a slight accent.
Ratings are completely controlled by user input and are determined by customers who submit ratings of their drivers. Uber contends that this system is designed for safety to help identify problematic drivers.
Additionally, Uber shows a picture of the customer’s driver before the driver arrives. Some have alleged that this results in customer’s canceling rides with those races they feel uncomfortable with, perpetuating stereotyping in the workplace.
Are You Targeted For Your Race or Accent?
If you suspect you treated differently at your workplace because of your race or your accent, Makarem & Associates will fight for you. Discrimination takes many forms, including structural systemic applications that differentiate unfairly based on race. No matter your background, Makarem & Associates will fight for your rights.
Makarem & Associates Is Here for You
As employment attorneys in California, we are committed to ensuring that our clients receive the help they need and deserve in order to fight against discrimination in the workplace. We will not stand by and watch employers dismiss or fail to take action against perpetrators of discrimination or workplace harassment even if these are tech employees.
If you have been a victim of discrimination or harassment at work in California, we at Makarem & Associates are ready to step in and help you fight for your rights. With some of the best employment law attorneys in California, we will provide you with the best legal representation to help you reach the best outcome. Please reach out to us and call us at 310-312-0299 or email us at [email protected] to receive the right legal counsel and a free consultation.
1 https://www.npr.org/2020/10/26/927851281/uber-fires-drivers-based-on-racially-biased-star-rating-system-lawsuit-claims
