California fines Uber for failure to cooperate with assault probe

[December 15, 2020]    (Reuters) - Ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc was fined $59 million on Monday for failing to provide the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) with information on certain sexual assault and harassment claims.

A screen displays the company logo for Uber Technologies Inc on the day of its IPO at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., May 10, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

Uber's permit could be suspended if it fails to pay the penalty within 30 days, according to the ruling. (https://bit.ly/3nk0ikP)

The administrative judge last year ordered Uber to answer questions regarding a safety report it released in 2019, which contained details of sexual assault cases that had occurred in the United States during 2017, 2018 and 2019 on trips taken using its ride-hailing platform.

"The CPUC has been insistent in its demands that we release the full names and contact information of sexual assault survivors without their consent," Uber said in a statement. "We opposed this shocking violation of privacy, alongside many victims' rights advocates."

While the CPUC has stated that the information can now be anonymous, Uber is still liable to pay the fine.

(Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)

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