AALDEF Report: Uber & Lyft Deactivate NYC Drivers with No Notice, No Due Process, And No Effective Way to Appeal

USANewsOnline.Com Desk, New York : On Tuesday, October 28, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) released a report revealing a troubling pattern of unjust firings by Uber and Lyft that strip drivers of their livelihoods without notice, evidence, or an opportunity to defend themselves. AALDEF independently analyzed anonymized data from nearly 350 surveys of deactivated drivers conducted by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and found that deactivated drivers were largely long-time, high-performing workers with excellent ratings and no records of misconduct. Yet, without warning, they were suddenly locked out of their accounts and cut off from their income.
Key findings include:
Uber and Lyft deactivate drivers without notice: 70% of drivers deactivated by Uber and 76% of drivers deactivated by Lyft were deactivated without any prior notice.
Appeals almost never lead to reactivation: Nearly all drivers attempted to appeal their deactivations but more than 90% remained permanently locked out of their accounts.
Drivers are deactivated with no due process. Uber and Lyft penalized drivers based on vague allegations without disclosing dates, details, or evidence, and without giving drivers an opportunity to review or rebut allegations.
Data highlights a racialized pattern of economic exclusion: 95% of surveyed drivers identified as people of color, with Asian drivers comprising nearly 69% of respondents.
Click here to read the full report.
AALDEF was joined this morning by City Council Member Shakar Krishnan, NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Deputy Commissioner Carlos Ortiz, Uber and Lyft driver members of NYTWA, and NYTWA Executive Director Bhairavi Desai for a press briefing on the report. Click here for a recording of the press briefing.
The human toll of deactivations is devastating. Drivers—many of whom support entire families—reported losing their primary income overnight, falling behind on rent and car payments, and enduring depression, family breakdowns, and the loss of dignity that comes with honest work. Some drivers reported losing tens of thousands of dollars on recently purchased vehicles, seeing their children forced to leave college, facing divorce from the stress of lost income, and being unable to support sick family members.
“The findings in this report illustrate that Uber and Lyft are operating outside the bounds of basic fairness, cutting vital workers off from their livelihood through an algorithm,” said Elizabeth Koo, interim director of AALDEF’s Economic Justice for Workers program, “Behind every deactivation is a human being—a parent, a provider, a New Yorker—suddenly cut off from income with no explanation and no recourse.”
“AALDEF’s report has made it clear that Uber and Lyft are firing workers with no notice, cause, or chance to get their livelihoods back. Uber and Lyft must be held accountable, and my legislation, Intro 276, does just that, giving power to drivers and ensuring that they have notice and the means to plead their case if they are deactivated. Uber and Lyft drivers keep our city moving; it’s time to ensure they have basic worker protections and dignity,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan, prime sponsor of Intro 276.
“All workers deserve dignified pay and job stability. The findings in this report are clear and show that this is not the case for a key community of our city’s workers, our for-hire vehicle drivers,” said DCWP Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga. “Arbitrary or unfair deactivations can be financially devastating for these workers, which makes this legislation incredibly important. We are committed to advocating for and implementing fair labor standards for all workers, and we look forward to working with the Council and stakeholders to create effective deactivation protections for these workers.”
NYTWA member and former Uber driver Saif Aizah had to leave New York City during the pandemic so that he could support his family. When he came back, Uber kept him locked out of his account claiming it was because he had set up another Uber account when he was driving in another state. Mr. Aizah took out a $50,000 loan to finance the car he used to drive for Uber. His car payments are more than $600 a month — payments he must continue to make even without his income from Uber. Now, Mr. Aizah is being forced to file for bankruptcy because of the loss of his income from Uber.
“After Uber deactivated me, I went to the Uber hub, I went to the Uber-funded Independent Drivers Guild,” said NYTWA member and former Uber driver Saif Aizah. “Neither would help me. Uber representatives told me that since I was a highly rated driver with more than 12,000 trips I would get back into the app without any problems. But I never got reactivated. Now I drive for Lyft, but it’s not enough income to support my children, make my car payments, and pay the rent. The financial stress has taken a toll on my mental health. Some nights I can’t sleep worrying about how I will pay my bills, how I will face my children when I can’t put food on the table, and whether I’ll get fired from Lyft. Most customers are friendly, but we have zero protections if one makes a complaint. It could be my looks they don’t like, or they could be having a bad day. Just one complaint could cost me my livelihood.”
“AALDEF’s report reflects the collective voice of drivers facing unjust firings by Uber and Lyft – and shows that this is an industry-wide problem that needs an urgent solution,” said NYTWA Executive Director Bhairavi Desai. “These companies have become household names because of the blood, sweat, and tears of drivers that they treat as expendable. Uber and Lyft drivers, just like any other workers, deserve job security and due process. This is a basic issue of economic stability and worker dignity. That’s why NYTWA is fighting for just cause protections for Uber and Lyft drivers.” Press Release.