So much for appy cabbies being 'partners' - Big U kept fares low by making 'em pay fees that riders should have picked up
The settlements mark an end to multi-year probes launched by the Office of the New York State Attorney General that found both companies unlawfully withheld wages from workers.
One was the 2.5 percent levy charged to passengers by the Black Car Fund, a non-profit organization that arranges workers compensation insurance for drivers. Uber and Lyft deducted Black Car Fund fees directly from the drivers' pockets instead of levying the fee on riders. The other was a sales tax of 8.875 percent that purchasers were supposed ot cover but that instead got pulled from drivers' wages.
“If there’s anything that you need, you can reach us anytime 24/7. We offer in-app and phone support to all our earner-partners.” But not fair pay in New York it seems.