Two women who alleged that Uber drivers sexually assaulted them while they used the rideshare service can sue the company, a federal judge in San Francisco reportedly ruled Wednesday.
Judge: Women can sue Uber for alleged sex assaults
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The judge ruled that the two victims — one based in Boston and another in South Carolina — were able to demonstrate that the two drivers were Uber employees, and not independent contractors as claimed by the company, the Associated Press reported.
The decision was a rejection of Uber’s effort to have the lawsuit dismissed on the grounds that the drivers were independent contractors who may not have used the company’s cell phone app before the alleged assaults, according to the report.
“It may be that facts will ultimately be revealed that disprove plaintiffs’ allegations or that tilt the scales toward a finding that Uber drivers are independent contractors,” the judge reportedly said. “However, taking the allegations in the amended complaint as true, plaintiffs have alleged sufficient facts that an employment relationship may plausibly exist.”
