Bad News for Uber: It Might Have to Treat Its Oregon Drivers as Employees

Portland Mercury:

Uber drivers in Oregon are probably employees, the state's labor commissioner said today, in a finding that could send big reverberations through the ride-hailing industry. Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian's office has said in recent months he hadn't formed an opinion on whether drivers for Uber amount to employees rather than contractors—a designation that would make the multi-billion company liable to give them a minimum wage, unemployment and workers' comp benefits, and other protections. Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) staff has also noted that Oregon's laws differ from California's, where a labor commission found earlier this year that Uber drivers are employees (a finding that awarded a driver thousands).

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