Bloomberg Law Interviews Joseph McNally About Discrimination Lawsuit Against Uber and Lyft
Bloomberg Law interviewed Joseph McNally, Director of Emerging Litigation, about a rise in discrimination lawsuits against the popular rideshare apps Uber and Lyft. Male drivers allege that the feature allowing female riders to request female drivers limits their income and job opportunities and reinforces negative gender stereotypes. They are seeking compensation under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
McNally points out that the court must evaluate if less restrictive options can enhance safety for women drivers and passengers without resorting to exclusionary policies that might reinforce harmful gender stereotypes.
“It’s a novel program that’s really going to test the scope of the act,” McNally said. “Judges are humans, and when looking at a program involving safety, they’re going to want to make sure that they kick the tires on it before they conclude that it runs afoul of the law.”
