Uber facing temporary shut down if forced to classify drivers

Uber may have to temporarily shut down in California if the driving service is forced to classify drivers as employees.

As of right now drivers are seen as independent contractors and Uber says they will appeal the decision within the next few days.

DRIVING SERVICE IS FORCED TOCLASSIFY DRIVERS AS EMPLOYEES.AS OF RIGHT NOW DRIVERS ARE SEENAS INDEPENDENTCONTRACTORS.UBER SAYS THEY WILL APPEAL THEDECISION WITHIN THE NEXT FEWDAYS23ABC'S BAYNE FRONEY SPOKE WITHA LOCAL UBER DRIVERABOUT WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FORTHEM IF UBER WERE TO SHUTDOWN.

BAYNE?THAT'S RIGHT JESS SO I SPOKE ANUBER DRIVER WHO LIVES HERE INBAKERSFIELD AND HE SAYS THAT IFUBER WERE TO SHUT DOWN, ITWOULDN'T JUST AFFECT UBERDRIVERS' INCOME, BUT ALSO THEPEOPLE WHO RELY ON UBERS TO GETAROUND EVERYDAY.RAJ ZAFAR, UBER DRIVER"SHUTTING IT DOWN, YOU KNOW,YOU'RE NOT HURTING THEDRIVERS, YOU'RE HURTING THOSEPEOPLE WHO NEED THE UBER."CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT JUDGEORDERED THAT UBER MAKETHERE DRIVERS CONSIDEREDFULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.UBER'S CEO CLAIMS THAT IF THECOURT DOES NOT OVERTURNTHE RULING THEN THEY WILL LIKELYHAVE TO SHUTDOWNTEMPORARILY FOR SEVERAL MONTHSDUE TO HAVING TO CHANGE THEIRBUSINESS MODEL TO FULL-TIMEEMPLOYMENT.RAJ ZAFAR, A BAKERSFIELDRESIDENT, HAS BEEN DRIVING FORUBER FOR 2 YEARS AND HIS MAINCONCERN WITH UBERSHUTTING DOWN, ARE HISPASSENGERS."I AM THINKING ABOUT MY PATIENTSTHAT I TAKE EVERYDAYTO THE DOCTOR, I AM THINKINGABOUT THEM.

HOW WILL THEY BEABLE TO REACH THE DOCTORS FORTHEIR APPOINTMENTS?"WITH SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVELOST THEIR JOBS DUE TOCOVID, ZAFAR FELT LUCKY TO STILLHAVE UBER AS AN OPTION."I LOST MY JOB, I USED TO DOUBER PART-TIME AND NOW I AMDOING ITFULL TIME.

JUST IMAGINE IF THEYSHUT US DOWN, THAT MEANS THATI WON'T EVEN HAVE A JOB."SOME BUSINESSES ALSO RELY ONSERVICES LIKEUBER-EATS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVERFOOD.

LOCAL RESTAURANT,HODEL'S COUNTRY DINING JUSTSTARTED USING THE APPYESTERDAY.DON HODEL, GENERAL MANAGER OFHODEL'S "I PLUGGED IT INTO THECOMPUTER, AND WITHIN 15MINUTES WE ALREADY HAD FOURORDERS."THE RESTAURANT WANTED TO STARTREACHING NEW CUSTOMERSTHROUGH UBEREATS, BUT WITH APOSSIBLE SHUT DOWN, THEYMAY NOT GET THE CHANCE."I WAS EXCITED ABOUT, REACHING AWHOLE NEW MARKET THROUGHUBER, SO YEAH TO HAVE IT ALL OFA SUDDEN DISAPPEAR RIGHTWHEN I GOT ON BOARD WOULD REALLYBE A BUMMER."UBER WAS GIVEN 10 DAYS TO APPEALTHE JUDGEMENT ORTHEY WILL HAVE TO FALL IN LINEWITH THE ORDER.

FOR NOW INBAKERSFIELD BAYNE FRONEY 23ABCCONNECTING YOU.CO