For Uber, Sexual Harassment Settlement Costs $34,000-a-Head

August 23, 2018 by Peter Blumberg

The cost of Uber Technologies Inc.’s March agreement to settle sexual harassment claims is now itemized: 56 current and former employees who filed claims stand to collect an average of $33,928.57.

In addition, those workers and 431 other female and minority engineers covered by a 2017 class-action lawsuit will receive an average of just under $11,000 for alleged pay disparities, according to a final accounting in the settlement of the case that was submitted Monday to a federal judge in Oakland, California.

Uber agreed in March to pay $10 million to settle the claims. A hearing on final approval of the settlement is set for Nov. 6.

The payouts for harassment and hostile-work environment claims were calculated based on the severity and duration of the alleged misconduct, the existence of supporting witnesses and documentation, the impact on the victim, the perpetrator’s job title and other circumstances.

Only two people covered by the settlement have opted out so far, and no class member has filed an objection, according to Monday’s filing by lawyers for the plaintiffs.

“We agree with the plaintiff’s motion which states that ‘the class has responded extremely favorably to the settlement’ with amounts that are ‘fair, reasonable, and adequate,” Uber said in a statement.