Uber Ends Forced Arbitration for Sexual Assault Accusers
Uber will no longer require mandatory, closed-door arbitration in passengers' claims of sexual assault or sexual harassment by the ride-hailing company's drivers, its chief legal officer announced Tuesday.
"We have learned it's important to give sexual assault and harassment survivors control of how they pursue their claims," Tony West, chief legal officer for Uber, said in a statement. "So moving forward, survivors will be free to choose to resolve their individual claims in the venue they prefer: in a mediation where they can choose confidentiality; in arbitration, where they can choose to maintain their privacy while pursuing their case; or in open court. Whatever they decide, they will be free to tell their story wherever and however they see fit."
Previously, the ride-hailing company's policy — as stated in its app's terms and conditions — had been to force all passenger sexual assault and harassment claims against its drivers into mandatory, closed-door arbitration. Under the provision, accusers could speak out but the legal proceedings would be confidential.
Uber also announced that it will no longer require confidentiality provisions or non-disclosure agreements from assault survivors. "Divulging the details of what happened in a sexual assault or harassment should be up to the survivor, not us," West writes. "Whether to find closure, seek treatment, or become advocates for change themselves, survivors will be in control of whether to share their stories."
Finally, the company said it will also include its platform's incidents of sexual assault and harassment in a "safety transparency report." West says Uber struggled with this decision, "in part because data on safety and sexual assaults is sparse and inconsistent." But the company decided to track its own assault and harassment statistics after meeting with "more than 80 women's groups" and recruiting several advisors from high-profile anti-assault advocacy groups.
A CNN report from earlier this May found that at least 103 Uber drivers had been accused of sexual assault or harassment in four years.
After Uber's announcement on Tuesday, competitor Lyft also announced similar changes ending its forced arbitration policy for assault and harassment claims and stopping confidentiality agreements as a contingency of settling the claims.
The changes comes shortly after Uber was under fire from women passengers who had been assaulted or harassed by their drivers while using the app. Fourteen women sent a letter to Uber's 11-member board at the end of April detailing their assaults and demanding that they be voluntarily released from the company's arbitration provision.
"Secret arbitration is the opposite of transparency," the women tell the board in the letter. "Forcing female riders, as a condition of using Uber's app, to pursue claims of sexual assault and rape in secret arbitration proceedings does not 'make streets safer,'" they write, quoting the company's own claim to the public that the ride-hailing app "help[s] improve access to transportation, and make streets safer."
The 14 women also argued in the letter that since the advent of the #MeToo movement last year, many large companies have been ditching forced arbitration agreements in sexual harassment and assault cases in favor of more transparent legal options.
Earlier this spring, Uber announced other additional safety measures, including annual criminal background checks for its drivers, the ability for a passenger to share a ride location with up to five trusted people and an emergency feature that immediately shares a ride's location with 911. The company also recently launched a new pilot safety measure that obscures riders' exact pickup and drop-off locations from drivers' logs, showing only a general area instead, which would potentially help stop the drivers returning to drop-off sites to harass former passengers.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees