Lawsuit: Uber discriminated against passengers with disabilities, says DOJ

(KRON) – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit Thursday against Uber Technologies, Inc., seeking $125 million on behalf of passengers with disabilities who they say have faced discrimination from the global rideshare company.

The suit states Uber discriminated against individuals who use service dogs and stowable wheelchairs — leaving several late for appointments or stranded in bad weather, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

Uber is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

The civil complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges Uber violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “The ADA also requires Uber to allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in vehicles and to provide rides to, and assist, riders with stowable wheelchairs and mobility devices,” said the DOJ in a news release.

In addition to monetary damages, the suit also requests Uber pay a civil penalty to support the public’s interest in ending disability discrimination.

According to federal prosecutors, “Uber and its drivers routinely refuse to serve individuals with disabilities; impose impermissible surcharges by charging cleaning fees for service animal shedding and cancellation fees to riders whom Uber has unlawfully denied service; and refuse to reasonably modify Uber’s policies, practices, or procedures, where necessary, to avoid discriminating against riders with disabilities, including by denying individuals with mobility disabilities the option to sit in the front seat when needed. Due to Uber’s ride denials, individuals with disabilities have experienced significant delays, missed appointments, and have been left stranded in inclement weather.”

The suit also seeks a court order requiring Uber to update its policies to comply with the ADA and to properly train its staff and drivers.

“For too long, blind riders have suffered repeated ride denials by Uber because they are traveling with a service dog,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to end this persistent discrimination and allow riders with disabilities to use Uber.”