If you are unemployed and have thought about driving for Uber, you may have decided against it because you did not want to endanger your unemployment benefits.
However, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently ruled that Uber drivers are employees. The case was filed by someone who was unemployed, and his benefits were in danger of being taken away because he was driving for Uber.
“They were trying to kick him off unemployment because they were saying he was self-employed while he was an Uber driver,” said Scott Cooper, partner at Schmidt Kramer. You can view Scott’s local news interview about the ruling by visiting here.
The ruling means people who are not working can drive for a ridesharing company and collect unemployment benefits at the same time.
Before this ruling, driving for Uber or another ridesharing company could endanger your unemployment benefits.
This is a timely ruling as the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania is in double digits and thousands are still waiting to obtain unemployment benefits.
This case will be sent back to Pennsylvania’s unemployment compensation board to determine how much the plaintiff will receive in benefits. Cooper says it is likely this person will receive much less in benefits than he would have if he was not driving for Uber.