<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(23, 30, 36);">If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by Uber because you, or someone you were traveling with, were charged wait time fees, please contact 833-591-0425 (toll-free), 202-305-6786, or send an email to</span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(23, 30, 36);"> </span><a href="mailto:Uber.Fee@usdoj.gov" class="gmail-mailto" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(140, 110, 32); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration-line: none;">Uber.Fee@usdoj.gov<span class="gmail-mailto" aria-label="(link sends e-mail)" style="box-sizing:border-box;background-image:url("https://www.justice.gov/sites/all/modules/contrib/extlink/extlink_s.png");background-position:-20px 50%;background-size:initial;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;width:10px;height:10px;padding-right:12px"></span></a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(23, 30, 36);"><b>. </b>This news release from the Department of Justice explains more about the case:</span><br><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4"><br></font></span></div><div><div class="gmail-pr-header" style="box-sizing:border-box;text-align:center;color:rgb(23,30,36)"><div class="gmail-department" style="box-sizing:border-box;padding-bottom:10px;font-weight:bold"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">Department of Justice</font></span></div><div class="gmail-agency" style="box-sizing:border-box;padding-bottom:10px"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">Office of Public Affairs</font></span></div></div><hr style="box-sizing:content-box;height:1px;overflow:visible;border:none;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(109,109,109)"><div class="gmail-pr-info" style="box-sizing:border-box;overflow:auto;padding-bottom:10px;color:rgb(23,30,36)"><div class="gmail-urgency-state" style="box-sizing:border-box;float:left"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</font></span></div><div class="gmail-field gmail-field--name-field-pr-date gmail-field--type-datetime gmail-field--label-hidden" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em;float:right"><div class="gmail-field__items" style="box-sizing:border-box"><div class="gmail-field__item even" style="box-sizing:border-box"><span class="gmail-date-display-single" style="box-sizing:border-box;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">Wednesday, November 10, 2021</font></span></div></div></div></div><h1 id="gmail-node-title" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0.25em 0px 1em;background-image:none;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(0,0,0);padding:0px;clear:right;text-align:center"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">Justice Department Sues Uber for Overcharging People with Disabilities</font></span></h1><div class="gmail-field gmail-field--name-field-pr-body gmail-field--type-text-long gmail-field--label-hidden" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em;border-bottom:1px solid rgb(109,109,109);color:rgb(23,30,36)"><div class="gmail-field__items" style="box-sizing:border-box"><div class="gmail-field__item even" style="box-sizing:border-box"><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><font face="arial, sans-serif" style=""><b style=""><font size="4" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. (Uber) for charging “wait time” fees to passengers who, because of disability, need more time to enter a car.</font></b><font size="4" style=""><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)"> </span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">Uber’s policies and practices of charging wait time fees based on disability have harmed many passengers and potential passengers with disabilities throughout the country. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Uber violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination by private transportation companies like Uber.</span></font></font></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4" style=""><b style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">In April 2016, Uber began charging passengers wait time fees in a number of cities, eventually expanding the policy nationwide. Wait time fees start two minutes after the Uber car arrives at the pickup location and are charged until the car begins its trip.</b></font></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4" style=""><b style=""><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">The department’s complaint alleges that Uber violates the ADA by failing to reasonably modify its wait time fee policy for passengers who, because of disability, need more than two minutes to get in an Uber car. Passengers with disabilities may need additional time to enter a car for various reasons. A passenger may, for example, use a wheelchair or walker that needs to be broken down and stored in the car. Or a passenger who is blind may need additional time to safely walk from the pickup location to the car itself</span><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">. </span></b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">The department’s lawsuit alleges that, even when Uber is aware that a passenger’s need for additional time is clearly disability-based, Uber starts charging a wait time fee at the two-minute mark.   </span></font></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">The lawsuit seeks relief from the court, including ordering Uber to stop discriminating against individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the department asks the court to order Uber to modify its wait time fee policy to comply with the ADA; train its staff and drivers on the ADA; pay money damages to people subjected to the illegal wait time fees; and pay a civil penalty to vindicate the public’s interest in eliminating disability discrimination.</font></span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">“People with disabilities deserve equal access to all areas of community life, including the private transportation services provided by companies like Uber,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit seeks to bring Uber into compliance with the mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act while sending a powerful message that Uber cannot penalize passengers with disabilities simply because they need more time to get into a car. Uber and other companies that provide transportation services must ensure equal access for all people, including those with disabilities.”</font></span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><font face="arial, sans-serif" size="4">“Uber’s wait time fees take a significant toll on people with disabilities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds for the Northern District of California. “Passengers with disabilities who need additional boarding time are entitled to access ridesharing services without discrimination. This lawsuit seeks to assist people with disabilities to live their lives with independence and dignity, as the ADA guarantees.”  </font></span></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px 0px 1em"><font face="arial, sans-serif" style="" size="4"><b style="background-color:rgb(255,255,0)">If you believe you have been a victim of disability discrimination by Uber because you, or someone you were traveling with, were charged wait time fees, please contact 833-591-0425 (toll-free), 202-305-6786, or send an email to <a href="mailto:Uber.Fee@usdoj.gov" class="gmail-mailto" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(140,110,32);text-decoration-line:none">Uber.Fee@usdoj.gov<span class="gmail-mailto" aria-label="(link sends e-mail)" style="box-sizing:border-box;background-image:url("https://www.justice.gov/sites/all/modules/contrib/extlink/extlink_s.png");background-position:-20px 50%;background-size:initial;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;width:10px;height:10px;padding-right:12px"></span></a>. For more information on the ADA, please call the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or visit <a href="http://www.ada.gov/" style="box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(140,110,32);text-decoration-line:none">www.ada.gov</a>.</b><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"> For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit </span><a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(140,110,32);text-decoration-line:none">www.justice.gov/crt</a><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">. The complaint can be viewed </span><a href="http://www.ada.gov/uber_comp.pdf" rel="noopener" target="_blank" class="gmail-doj-analytics-processed" style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(140,110,32);text-decoration-line:none">here</a><span style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">.</span></font></p></div></div></div><div><div style="font-family:"Segoe UI Historic","Segoe UI",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(28,30,33);font-size:12px"><div class="gmail-pybr56ya gmail-dati1w0a gmail-hv4rvrfc gmail-n851cfcs gmail-btwxx1t3 gmail-j83agx80 gmail-ll8tlv6m" style="padding-left:16px;padding-right:16px;display:flex;margin-bottom:12px;padding-top:12px;font-family:inherit"><div class="gmail-buofh1pr" style="font-family:inherit"><div class="gmail-j83agx80 gmail-cbu4d94t ew0dbk1b gmail-irj2b8pg" style="display:flex;font-family:inherit"><div class="gmail-qzhwtbm6 gmail-knvmm38d" style="margin-top:5px;margin-bottom:5px;font-family:inherit"><span class="gmail-d2edcug0 gmail-hpfvmrgz gmail-qv66sw1b gmail-c1et5uql gmail-lr9zc1uh gmail-a8c37x1j gmail-keod5gw0 gmail-nxhoafnm gmail-aigsh9s9 gmail-d3f4x2em gmail-fe6kdd0r gmail-mau55g9w gmail-c8b282yb gmail-iv3no6db gmail-jq4qci2q gmail-a3bd9o3v gmail-b1v8xokw gmail-m9osqain gmail-hzawbc8m" dir="auto" style="line-height:1.3333;display:block;max-width:100%;min-width:0px;font-size:0.9375rem;font-family:inherit;word-break:break-word"><h2 id="gmail-jsc_c_1pg" class="gmail-gmql0nx0 gmail-l94mrbxd gmail-p1ri9a11 gmail-lzcic4wl gmail-aahdfvyu gmail-hzawbc8m" style="color:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-weight:inherit;margin:4px 0px 0px;padding:0px;outline:none;font-family:inherit"><br></h2></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span></div><div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;margin-bottom:10pt;line-height:normal;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"><span style="color:black;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:10pt">Training,
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of Access Providers </span><span style="color:black;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:10pt">l </span><a href="http://dbcannj.org" style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;font-size:10pt" target="_blank">dbcannj.org</a></p><p style="text-align:left"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"><i><font color="#351c75">"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much." ~ Helen Keller<br></font></i></span><br></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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