Not long ago, Uber took an unsurprising step: they changed their driver agreements so their independent contractors would have to give up their right to sue the company in a class action. The drivers eligible for a recently-certified class action in California are those who never agreed to that provision, but that doesn’t mean that Uber isn’t appealing its certification as a class action anyway.

The lawsuit seeks to have Uber’s fleet of drivers declared “employees,” at least in the company’s home state of California, which would entitle them to benefits like health insurance for full-time workers, reimbursement of vehicle expenses, and worker’s compensation for on-the-job injuries. That wouldn’t just fundamentally change Uber’s business model, but would also be an enormous expense if class members were granted back wages and benefits.

Uber’s argument is that their driver base is so diverse that one lawsuit can’t possibly encompass all of them and their needs. Their drivers range from former taxi drivers who work all day to people like a Georgia college president or even the company’s own CEO, Travis Kalanick, who moonlight as drivers during downtime from their real jobs but who clearly don’t need the money… or employee benefits.

Uber Appeals Class-Action Ruling for Lawsuit [Wall Street Journal]

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