Council Member Hanif questions Uber on time-length fraud and deactivation

Councilmember Hanif.

Thanks.

Can you explain how Uber, the apps, define and enforce time-length fraud and how that policy is used to deactivate delivery workers?

Yeah, so we do look at unusual trips.

So an example that I cite from last year is a worker who repeatedly went from Greenpoint to Prospect Heights via the Williamsburg Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge.

So that was an unusual pattern that was extending the amount of trip and extending pay time.

And so, you know, there are cases of clear.

fraud and they should be demonstrable and clear and under local law 13 what the law the local law the deactivation protections they would have to be clear examples of fraud

like that example of a worker who repeatedly goes across two unnecessary bridges in order to extend the amount of time on a trip and a worker who did that did they have an opportunity to challenge that deactivation yeah so we installed a

well a there's an opportunity to challenge that deactivation with an internal appeals panel as well as through the workers justice project.

You're hearing the opposition, right?

For sure.

And how is...

For the workers justice project also has opportunity to challenge them directly with me, but the city in passing the local law deactivation review also set up their own policies that take effect in January.

And then have you all designed a time length per delivery?

What's the...

No, we have not.

Is that something you all plan to do?

Well, if 1069 passes, then the city would set up the minimum amount of time for us.

What are you guys thinking in terms of just given that you all are deactivating workers for unusual patterns of delivery time?

So I would say that if 1069 sets up a system where there was a minimum amount of time, we would utilize the city's set minimum amount of time.

Okay, and then right now it's the deactivation, require workers to appeal, and that's the process.

Right now, if there is demonstrated fraud, there's the activation.

but we do not set a delivery expectation or have an on-time rate for two-wheel bike deliveries in New York or devices or anything on two wheels in New York.

Thank you, Councilmember.

And we'll get to the bottom of that in the redlining process with the advocates, who I think share vast disagreements with your position today.

Thank you.

This panel is excused.

Next up we have Anna Humphrey, Christopher Shiler, Jean Ryan, Michael Ring, Lloyd Feng.

Please keep it down in the chambers.

Thank you.

Remember to state your name for the record.

You may begin.

And please keep it down in the chambers, please, so we can hear our panelists clearly.

Thank you.