From CNET: Uber is pulling out all the stops to rein in a major lawsuit that could change its business model.
The ride-hailing company is being sued by three former drivers who claim they should've been classified as employees rather than independent contractors. The drivers' lawyer, Shannon Liss-Riordan, has been seeking class action status for this suit on behalf of 160,000 drivers. But Uber filed a 52-page motion on Thursday seeking to limit the case to just the three drivers. The company said these drivers don't adequately represent most Uber drivers.
"The reality is that drivers use Uber on their own terms: they control their use of the app," an Uber spokeswoman said in a statement. "It's why there's no typical driver -- the key question in this case. And why no three people can ever represent the interests of so many different drivers."
Uber's current classification of drivers as contractors means the company is not responsible for all sorts of costs, including Social Security, health insurance, paid sick days, gas, car maintenance and much more. If all drivers are eventually deemed employees, Uber will likely have to pay for all of this, as well as manage a workforce of more than 1 million. Uber rival Lyft is facing a similar suit.
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