Uber Drivers May Add $1 Billion ‘Bounty’ Claim as Trial Nears

By Joel Rosenblatt, Bloomberg News

Uber Technologies Inc. drivers suing to be treated like employees are trying to add $1 billion in penalties under California’s unique “bounty hunter” statute as they prepare for trial in June.

About 240,000 current and former Uber drivers in California are covered by the lawsuit, which claims they’ve been wrongly classified as independent contractors and so should be reimbursed for expenses and tips under state law. Those claims alone could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars if the world’s biggest ride-hailing service loses.

Now the drivers are trying to attach additional state labor ...