ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — New York rideshare drivers have until 11:59 p.m. on January 31 to file a claim for their share of a $328 million settlement paid out by Uber and Lyft. Secured by New York Attorney General Letitia James in November 2023, the settlement repays drivers who were ripped off by the companies between 2014 and 2017.
On Tuesday, James urged drivers to check whether they qualify and submit their claims promptly. According to her office, filing is free and takes just a few minutes online. "Rideshare drivers help keep New York moving and deserve full and fair compensation for their hard work," James said.
The Attorney General's Office delayed the deadline to claim the funds by one month, from December 31 to January 31. They said that over 88,000 claims were already filed, but thousands more eligible drivers can still claim the back pay that they earned.
As part of the settlement, Uber agreed to pay $290 million, and Lyft to pay $38 million. They improperly charged drivers for costs that should have been paid by passengers, namely sales tax and black car fees. From 2014 to 2017, Uber also misled drivers about these deductions in its terms of service. Meanwhile, Lyft took an 11.4% administrative fee to cover the costs from 2015 to 2017.
Drivers who saw deductions in pay for sales tax or the black car fund could still be eligible. Uber drivers must have been active within the state between Nov. 10, 2014, and May 22, 2017, and Lyft drivers must have worked between Oct. 11, 2015, and July 31, 2017.
James' office said that drivers who have already filed a claim but haven’t received a confirmation should submit another. Visit the settlement portals for Uber and Lyft to check your eligibility and submit the required details. If you need help, contact the rideshare companies directly via phone (Uber: (800) 625-2332; Lyft: (800) 433-5314) or email: (Uber, Lyft).
The AG's office said that neither Lyft nor Uber provided paid sick leave, which violated New York's labor laws. Part of the settlement agreement introduced new protections and benefits for workers:
Rust Consulting, the settlement administrator, is handling the payments and distributions to affected drivers, but beware of scam offers to help with the claims process. Rust, James' office, or the New York Taxi Workers Alliance would be the only legitimate organizations involved.
