Gender Discrimination at Uber
Uber is a location-based app that makes hiring an on-demand private driver easy. For riders – Uber is a convenient, inexpensive and safe taxi service. I’ve had great experiences both locally and while traveling using the ride -hailing services of Uber. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the EEOC from investigating allegations of gender discrimination.
My last blog dedicated to Uber involved the resignation of Uber co-founder and CEO Travis Kalanick. He was pressured to resign followed by the company’s damaged corporate culture, which was widely regarded as overly aggressive, sexist and insensitive. Uber’s new Chief Executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, has struggled to overcome a series of scandals and reform the company’s battered public image since taking over for his predecessor late last year. The company, under Kalanick’s direction, had been under intense scrutiny over a string of scandals involving former engineer Susan Fowler alleging sexual harassment and discrimination while working for the company.
Currently, Uber is under investigation by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for possible gender discrimination. The EEOC has been interviewing former and current Uber employees and requesting internal documents concerning the company’s hiring practices, wages and other gender-related topics since August of 2017. The EEOC has declined to comment on the probe.
In July of this year, Uber pushed out its human-resources chief, Liane Hornsey, following an internal probe of her department’s handling of racial discrimination claims. Also, Uber’s Chief Operating Officer, Barney Harford, hired by Mr. Khosrowshahi, sent employees a letter of contrition after internal complaints of Harford making racially insensitive remarks. These individuals are not part of the EEOC’s investigation, however, it provides a glimpse of the company’s culture.
Uber said recently that it has made “a lot of changes in the last 18 months,” such as revamping its review and compensation practices and rolled out “diversity and leadership trainings to thousands of employees globally.” Mr. Khosrowshahi said improving diversity takes a long time, but guaranteed Uber would improve under his watch.