Uber Will Pay $4.4 Million to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Charge

January 7, 2020

Uber has agreed to pay a $4.4 million fine to settle a 2017 charge from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission pertaining to sex discrimination and retaliation.

The investigation found reasonable cause to believe that Uber “permitted a culture of sexual harassment and retaliation against individuals who complained about such harassment,” the EEOC wrote in a press release. The EEOC launched the investigation following reports pertaining to Uber’s workplace while under the leadership of then CEO Travis Kalanick.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure that all employees can thrive at Uber by putting fairness and accountability at the heart of who we are and what we do,” Uber Chief Legal Officer Tony West said in a statement. “I am extremely pleased that we were able to work jointly with the EEOC in continuing to strengthen these efforts.”

As part of the settlement, Uber will divvy up the $4.4 million to anyone who the EEOC determines experienced sexual harassment and/or retaliation at Uber after January 1, 2014. Uber also agreed to establish a system to identify employees who have been the subject of more than one harassment complaint, as well as identify managers who have not responded to sexual harassment concerns in a timely manner.

For the next three years, Uber will also face monitoring by former EEOC Commissioner Fred Alvarez.

“This agreement holds Uber accountable, and, going forward, positions the company to innovate and transform the tech industry by modeling effective measures against sexual harassment and retaliation,” EEOC Commissioner Victoria Lipnic said in a statement.

Now, a claims administrator will send notices to every female employee who worked at Uber at any point between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019. If that’s you, you’ll be able to respond to that notice to make your claim. The EEOC will then determine who is eligible for monetary relief.

The Civil Rights Act protects all employees from any type of sexual harassment in the workplace. In addition to harassment, this law also protects employees from retaliation. Retaliation happens when an employer punishes an employee for filing complaints regarding sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace. What many people do not know is that there are various federal laws in place that protect workers against retaliation and establish the rights of “whistleblowers” (people who file complaints about unsafe workplaces).

Retaliation can take on numerous forms, including:

• Demotion
• Salary reduction
• Job termination
• Refusal of a raise
• Denial of promotion
• Missed training opportunities
• Job reassignment
• Less desirable schedule
• Poor performance review
• Micromanagement
• Exclusion from staff activities

What is important to understand is that not all adverse employer actions are retaliation. In order to establish grounds for a lawsuit, retaliation must have a negative impact on your employment. If you have reason to believe that an employer, manager, or another person in your workplace is retaliating against you for filing a complaint against them, our Florida Whistleblower and Retaliation Attorneys at Whittel & Melton urge you to reach out to us so that we can help with your claim. We have offices scattered throughout Florida and can take cases from anywhere in the state. Our staff of lawyers can investigate your claim and help you understand if retaliation is taking place and what we can do to help it stop. By working with us, we can show you how to get back on your feet and obtain justice for being harrassed, discriminated against, and/or retaliated against at work.

When you obtain legal counsel from a law firm, you are taking a giant step in the right direction towards eliminitating sexual harassment in the workplace. Our Florida Employment Attorneys at Whittel & Melton have extensive knowledge and experience with all workplace issues and will be able to provide valuable insight into your unique situation.

When we build a retaliation case, we must be able to demonstrate and prove there is a connection between your recent sexual harassment or discrimination complaint and your employer’s adverse actions. As soon as you suspect retaliation, we urge you to start documenting everything. Take record of each and every time something retaliatory occurs. This may include keeping copies of reports or emails that can help your case, like a positive performance review prior to the complaint and a negative one after. The more information you have to support your claim, the stronger your case may be.

We welcome you to reach out to us today to learn more about the best practices in addressing discrimination or harassment and putting a stop to any retaliatory actions by your employer.