Uber Driver Is An Employee, Not a Contractor, Says California Labor Commission

The California Labor Commission has ruled that an Uber driver was not an independent contractor, as the company claims, but an employee of the ride-hailing app. The ruling filed Tuesday was made on a claim filed by a San Francisco Uber driver seeking reimbursement of expenses. Uber pitches itself as a platform that facilitates rides between independent contractors and drivers, but the ruling found that because the company vets drivers, has a rating system for the drivers and has standards for the cars, among other items, the driver was an employee. "In light of the above, Plaintiff was the Defendants' employee," the ruling stated. Uber must pay the driver $4,152.50, it said. Uber was not immediately available for comment.