Uber & Lyft Drivers May Be Owed Back Pay — Here’s Where the Cases Stand

The short version: Uber and Lyft have faced multiple legal actions across the country over claims that they misclassified drivers as independent contractors instead of employees — and in doing so, allegedly denied drivers minimum wage, overtime pay, paid sick leave, expense reimbursements, and unemployment insurance. Big settlements have already been reached in New York and Massachusetts. California litigation continues. If you drove for either company, you may have a claim depending on where and when you drove.

This page explains, in plain English, what each state's situation looks like and how to find out if you may be owed money. If you want to skip to a case check, the form is at the bottom of the page.

What the Rideshare Wage Cases Are About

When you drive for Uber or Lyft, both companies treat you as an independent contractor — not an employee. That classification matters a lot. Employees are entitled to things like minimum wage guarantees, overtime pay, reimbursement for work expenses (like gas and car maintenance), paid sick leave, and unemployment insurance when they lose work. Independent contractors generally are not.

Plaintiffs in lawsuits and state enforcement actions across the country have alleged that Uber and Lyft used the independent contractor label improperly — that drivers, in practice, work under conditions that legally make them employees — and that as a result, the companies have denied drivers wages and benefits they were owed. Both Uber and Lyft deny these allegations.

The cases have played out differently in different states. Here is where things stand in the three states with the most significant activity.

The New York $328 Million Settlement

In November 2023, the New York Attorney General announced a $328 million settlement with Uber over allegations that the company had misclassified drivers in New York and denied them minimum wage, paid sick leave, and proper unemployment insurance coverage. (Source: NY AG press release, November 2023.)

This was a significant action. Under the settlement, eligible New York Uber drivers were to receive payments, and Uber was required to provide certain benefit protections going forward.

Important note on timing: The claims deadline for the New York AG settlement was February 28, 2025. That deadline has passed. If you were a New York Uber driver and missed the February 2025 deadline, your options under this particular settlement are now limited. However, you may still have individual state wage claims depending on your situation and when you drove. A case check can tell you what options, if any, remain open for you.

California: Active Litigation

California has been the center of the most contested legal battles over rideshare driver classification.

In November 2020, California voters passed Proposition 22, which classified gig workers for app-based companies as independent contractors but required certain benefit floors — including minimum earnings guarantees, a health insurance stipend for drivers who work enough hours, and protections against discrimination. In July 2024, the California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 22.

However, Proposition 22 did not end all legal exposure for Uber and Lyft. California lawsuits and regulatory actions continue on several fronts:

• Plaintiffs' attorneys have alleged that Uber and Lyft owe drivers more than $1.3 billion in back pay and benefits under California law that applied before Proposition 22 took effect. This is a plaintiff allegation, not a court finding. (Source: news reporting on the California litigation.)
• Individual wage claims may also still be available for alleged violations of Proposition 22's own requirements.

California litigation remains active as of this writing. Whether a particular driver has a viable claim depends heavily on when they drove, what was alleged to have happened, and how courts continue to rule.

Massachusetts: Driver Benefits Settlement

In 2024, Uber and Lyft reached a settlement with Massachusetts over driver classification. Under the settlement, the two companies agreed to a combined $175 million payment and certain ongoing benefit protections for drivers in the state. Notices began going out to eligible drivers in August 2025. (Source: Massachusetts AG announcement, widely reported.)

If you drove for Uber or Lyft in Massachusetts and received a notice, you may have already responded or taken action. If you received a notice and have not yet responded, or if you are unsure whether you received one, a case check can help clarify the status of any options available to you.

Who May Have a Claim

You may have a claim if:

• You drove for Uber or Lyft as an independent contractor in New York, California, Massachusetts, or another state
• And you believe you were underpaid, denied paid sick leave, denied unemployment benefits, or denied expense reimbursements you should have received

Eligibility varies significantly by state and by the time period during which you drove. Some claims relate to periods before certain laws took effect; others involve alleged ongoing violations. A case check will help clarify what, if anything, is currently open for your specific situation.

What any individual driver may recover depends on how long they drove, in which state, during which time periods, and what the courts or settlements ultimately determine. A free case check can help figure out whether your situation may qualify and what options are open to you.

Common Questions

I drove for Uber in New York but missed the February 2025 deadline. Is it too late?

Your options under the NY AG settlement are limited after that deadline passed. However, individual state wage claims may still exist depending on your situation. A case check can tell you whether anything remains open.

I drove in California. Does Prop 22 mean I can't file?

Not necessarily. Prop 22 changed the law going forward, but claims for alleged wage violations that occurred before it took effect may still be available. Claims based on alleged violations of Prop 22's own benefit requirements may also be possible. A case check will help sort out what applies to your situation.

I drove for both Uber and Lyft. Does that matter?

Potentially, yes — the cases against the two companies have different histories and are at different stages in different states. A case check will look at your full situation.

Does it cost anything?

No. The case check is free. If you sign up and your case doesn't recover money, you owe nothing.

How long does this take?

That depends on whether your situation falls under an active settlement or ongoing litigation. A case check will give you a clearer picture of what's available and roughly what the timeline looks like.

Ready to Check If You Qualify?

If you drove for Uber or Lyft as an independent contractor and believe you were denied wages, sick leave, unemployment benefits, or expense reimbursements you were owed, take two minutes and fill out the form below. A real person will review it. If you may have a case, someone will reach out within one week.

If you don't hear back within a week, please contact another law firm. Every case has a filing window, and waiting too long can cost you the right to recover.