In two separate trials in federal courts in San Francisco, drivers who use Uber and Lyft are arguing that they are essentially employees and should be reimbursed for expenses under California law.
The companies, based in San Francisco, have maintained they are not employers but services that connect ride seekers with drivers.
Both judges during court proceedings have indicated that the ride-hailing firms may have an uphill battle, according to Bloomberg.
Last Friday, in the Uber case, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen said in court that the idea that Uber is simply a software platform, I don t find that a very persuasive argument.
The day before, Vince Chhabria, the U.S. District judge in the Lyft case, said rulings from earlier cases lead him to conclude that drivers must be classified as employees, Bloomberg wrote.
Prior court rulings limited the cases to California drivers, something that plaintiffs lawyers are seeking to overturn. Both companies are seeking to have their cases dismissed.
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