The PowerPoint for my Businesslaw Class

1. Joycelyn Lagasse
Zekun Wu Liam
Alexa Munroe
Savannah O’Brien
Cindia Lowinny de Oliveira Cunha
WELCOME

2. What is Uber?
A location-based app that makes hiring an on-demand private driver...easy.
For riders - Uber is a convenient, inexpensive taxi service. Hire a private driver to pick you
up/take you to your destination with the tap of a button on any device. A nearby driver often
arrives to pick you up within minutes. You can even watch as your driver is en-route!
For drivers - Uber provides exceptional pay, allows you to be your own boss, and even
receive tips. Take on fares whenever you wish (work as much or as little as you desire)
while meeting new people.

4. The Issue
● Saturday, November 23rd, 2014, San Francisco man, James
Alva
● Verbally abused and physically attacked by an UberX driver
● Shared documentary and video evidence to support his
account.
● “You are nothing but a dirty Mexican faggot.”
● Alva tried to take a picture of Drivers face, driver pulled the
car over, physical fight between the two men, and the police

5. The Issue
● Once home, Alva posted the incident to his Facebook wall, Uber’s facebook wall, and to twitter.
● Call from Uber’s senior community manager for San Francisco, Matthew Hearns.
● Company would temporarily suspend the driver, refund Alva’s $14, and comply with any police
investigation if Alva chose to go down that road.
● Alva asked why the license plate of the car did not match Uber app, Hearns was unable to offer an
answer.
● Alva asked about the mechanism in place to keep one driver from passing their app off to another
person, company had no reason.

6. Is this a Legal or Ethical Issue? Why?
● Legal. The California Public Utilities Commission required the so-called Transportation Networking
Companies to perform "national criminal background check” ($15 or $100,000).
● Ethical Issue: Trust
How did the company behave in an unethical manner?
● Company expansion. Employ drivers with a history of crimes.
● Cost savings. Give up using “Live Scan”($70-$80)
What should the company have done under the
circumstances?
● Apologize to the passengers
● Use more accurate background checks
● Stop Expansion and Re-examine Drivers in Uber

7. Issue Impact on Uber
● Affects their name and reputation
● Uber might face vicarious liability
○ A charge that the employee was negligent
while doing work for the employer
● Customers will not want to use their product
● Safety

8. Issue Impact on the Stakeholder
● Owners/Shareholders
● Employees
● Customers
● Passengers

9. Issue Impact on the Greater Economy
Thanks to the loss of trust in many people and families we are losing a lot of
business and possible customers which effects the overall revenue of UBER.
● Uber is plagued by a long list of scandals, ranging from reports of sexual
harassment to aggressive strategies to take down the competition.
● Uber has been on the news for all the wrong reasons and we are here to help!
● A chart on the next slide shows all the gross bookings versus total revenue.
● Uber is still rocketing forward, despite the scandals but the future projection
could be double that if these scandals come to a halt.

11. Recommendation
● Improve background checks
● Better customer service,
empathize for your customers
○ They will want to use your
services more
○ Handle situations better
● Prevention control-- regulations
● Explore the idea of interviews
at locations before hiring Uber
drivers.

12. Thank you!
Any Questions?