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Lyft will pay $272.5 million to settle a California lawsuit alleging wage theft against its drivers. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and city attorneys from Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco sued Lyft in 2020 for misclassifying drivers as independent contractors between 2016 and 2020. The misclassification meant drivers were paid below minimum wage and denied workplace protections. Around $237 million will go into a third-party fund for drivers, with eligibility based on hours and miles driven during the period. Data shows 80% of Los Angeles Lyft drivers were from communities of colour in 2025, with nearly half Latino. Lyft denies wrongdoing despite the settlement. During the lawsuit period, Lyft reported $9.5 billion in total revenue. The settlement requires court approval.

Leading taxi app Lyft launches in Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus. "We are excited to provide a great option for passengers and business customers" A leading taxi app has expanded into Northern Ireland. Article continues below Lyft, through Freenow by Lyft, is a leading taxi app in Ireland and has added Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus to the list of over 200 cities where the service is available across Europe. Article continues below Passengers in these locations can now book a taxi quickly and conveniently through the Freenow app, with access to a range of features designed to make every journey simple and stress-free. Article continues below 138205441846 The app allows users to: * View the upfront fare before confirming the trip * Track the driver's arrival in real-time * Use the 'Prebook' feature to schedule a ride from 20 minutes up to 90 days in advance * Pay securely via Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, card. * Safety remains a top priority. Every booking provides users with information about their vehicle, and passengers can use the 'share my trip' feature to let friends or family follow their journey for added peace of mind. A spokesperson said: "The launch will support journeys across the region, whether passengers are travelling to work, meeting friends and family, attending events or getting to and from the airport, train station or ferry terminals. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info "By integrating with local taxi fleets' current dispatch system, Lyft is helping to offer people in Northern Ireland greater choice and flexibility when booking a taxi. "The launch builds on Lyft's established presence of Freenow in cities across the UK and Ireland. It also gives local taxi drivers access to new passengers and additional booking opportunities." Danny O'Gorman, General Manager for the UK and Ireland at Freenow by Lyft, said: "We're delighted to be launching Lyft in Northern Ireland through the Freenow by Lyft app and to give passengers across the region a simple, reliable, and convenient way to book a taxi. Article continues below "Expanding into Northern Ireland is an important milestone and the latest step in growing our presence across the UK and Ireland. "Belfast, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus are all vibrant towns and cities and we are excited to provide a great option for passengers and business customers." This is on top of the acquisitions of Lynk in Dublin and Swift in Limerick earlier this year, and starting this month, the ability for North American riders to use their same Lyft app in Europe, including in London and Dublin. Article continues below

Lyft to pay $272.5 million settlement for misclassifying drivers. SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu - alongside California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the City Attorneys of San Diego and Los Angeles - announced a $272.5 million settlement with rideshare company Lyft, resolving allegations that between 2016 and 2020, Lyft committed wage theft by misclassifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. Discover more Read Daily News Find VC Investors Venture Capital The settlement, subject to court approval, resolves claims against Lyft for misclassifying their drivers as independent contractors in violation of the California Labor Code and Unfair Competition Law. "Every worker deserves to be paid fully and fairly," said San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu. "For years, Lyft drivers provided essential services keeping our communities moving while being denied the wages and benefits they earned. Misclassification exploits workers, fuels inequality, and creates an unfair economy. This is the largest wage and hour settlement in California history, reflecting both the seriousness of the harm and our unwavering commitment to stand up for workers across California." "We are proud to announce this landmark win for workers, the largest misclassification settlement in California's history," said Attorney General Bonta. "Rideshare companies like Lyft have enjoyed massive growth and profits on the backs of drivers over the past decade, many who are from immigrant communities and communities of color. Lyft's success would not be possible without the drivers who Lyft sought to unfairly short-change. Hard-working employees deserve full compensation for their labor. We have not and will not stand by when companies attempt to shirk their legal responsibilities and deprive employees of their wages and benefits as required under California law. Subject to court approval, today's settlement will put money back in the pockets of thousands of drivers who have waited for their long-deserved pay. We will continue to fight to empower workers, combat unfair and deceptive practices, and ensure all Californians can thrive from the fruits of their labor." In 2020, the City Attorneys and Attorney General brought a lawsuit on behalf of the People of the State of California, alleging that Lyft's misclassification of drivers deprived workers of critical workplace protections such as the right to minimum wage, overtime, and reimbursements for work-related expenses between 2016 and 2020. The lawsuit followed the introduction of the "ABC test," the groundbreaking legal test used to analyze the misclassification of workers, which was first adopted by the California Supreme Court in 2018 in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court and codified into law under Assembly Bill 5. In the midst of litigation, Proposition 22 changed how the ABC test is applied to certain app-based drivers. Despite several appeals and changes in law, the People remained resilient, winning every challenge in court and remaining steadfast in their demands for drivers' deserved wages and protections. Discover more Book Local Tours Compare GPUs Under the settlement, Lyft must pay $272,500,000 in restitution and penalties, at least $237,075,000 of which, or 87 percent, will be reserved for drivers who worked for Lyft. The total settlement amount could increase if Lyft opts to make future settlement fund payments on an installment plan, where it will be required to pay interest. The restitution amount will be set into a fund managed by a third-party settlement administrator. Driver eligibility and compensation will be based on the number of hours and miles driven between April 5, 2016, through December 15, 2020. After the settlement is approved and Lyft begins making payments to the settlement fund, eligible workers will be contacted by the third-party settlement administrator about when to expect a payment. The settlement administrator will establish a website, email address, and call center to inform and answer questions from drivers who believe they are eligible for restitution. Additional details about these resources will be available in the near future. The City Attorneys and Attorney General worked alongside the California Labor Commissioner's Office and a group of private plaintiffs represented by Outten & Golden LLP, Olivier & Schreiber PC, and Lichten & Liss-Riordan PC to achieve today's settlement. Over the last six years, led by Deputy City Attorneys Molly Alarcon and Matthew Goldberg, San Francisco City Attorney's Office employees worked to achieve this result to ensure Lyft drivers were paid fairly for the work they completed. The People will continue litigating this matter against Uber, the remaining Defendant in the case. The case is Uber Technologies Wage and Hour Cases, San Francisco Superior Court, Case No. CJC-21-005179.