Uber Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit, $1.9 Million to be Shared Among 56 Workers
Each complainant will receive an average of $33,928.57.
Uber's sexual harassment scandal has been looming over the company's metaphorical head for quite some time, making it one of the more high-profile hostile workplace allegations against a tech brand as of late. Now, this particular chapter in the San Francisco-based business's history dated back to 2013 is slated to become an expensive teaching moment as a settlement was submitted to a California federal judge on Monday, according to Bloomberg.
The filing states that the 56 participants in the lawsuit, both current and former employees of the ridesharing conglomerate, will be receiving a payout of $1.9 million to split among each other, meaning the average award per complainant will be around $33,928.57.
It's important to note that not all individuals will receive this amount; in fact, some may receive substantially less. Each complaint was reportedly vetted for legitimacy and the award is based on certain corroborating evidence that could be presented in support of the plaintiff. The actual award will depend on certain factors of the harassment, including severity, personal impact of the victim, length of occurrence, evidence to support the claim as well as the job title of the person or people who allegedly committed the harassment.
Two individuals have opted out of the settlement at the time of writing, reports Bloomberg, however no objections have been placed by the remaining recipients of the settlement. A hearing is scheduled for November 6 to determine if the settlement will be accepted by the court.
"We agree with the plaintiff's motion which states that 'the class has responded extremely favorably to the settlement' with amounts that are 'fair, reasonable and adequate,’" an Uber spokesperson told The Drive.
Additionally, Uber will settle its pay discrimination suit alongside the harassment claim, offering nearly 500 female and minority employees their hand at accepting a nearly $11,000 settlement for the company's alleged unfair practice on pay and promotion. Uber has said that it has made various changes since the initial claims, even implementing a new salary and review structure.
