Uber, the popular ride-hailing service, is reportedly looking to enhance its background check protocols. This move comes in response to concerns about the company’s practice of allowing individuals with violent criminal backgrounds to drive for them.
A recent investigation by The New York Times shed light on Uber’s policies, revealing that drivers, even with serious criminal histories, could continue working under certain circumstances. While Uber has historically banned drivers convicted of severe crimes like murder, terrorism, and sexual assault, it turns out that, in 22 states, drivers with previous convictions—including child abuse and stalking—were still approved as long as seven years had elapsed since their conviction.
Uber’s rationale, as reported, was that this seven-year window strikes a balance between public safety and providing opportunities for those with old records to rehabilitate and find work.
From 2017 to 2022, Uber received reports of sexual assault or misconduct at an alarming rate of about once every eight minutes. The investigation also noted that drivers often remained on the platform even after passengers lodged complaints, with prohibitions enacted only for serious allegations.
In one particularly concerning case, a Lebanese immigrant working as an Uber driver in Texas was arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a 21-year-old female passenger.
In response to increasing public worry over passenger safety, Uber is planning future changes that will explicitly bar anyone convicted of violent felonies, abuse, endangerment, or sex crimes from working for the company, irrespective of the time that has passed since the offense. They are also set to implement a seven-year ban on prior offenses for less serious charges, such as harassment.
However, a specific timeline for when these updated policies will roll out has not yet been disclosed.
An Uber spokesperson commented, “Safety is not static, and neither is our approach. We listen, we learn, we talk to experts, and we evolve as the world changes.” Despite these updates, Uber had not immediately provided further comments on the matter.
