Uber drivers already battling the company over issues such as whether they should even be considered employees got thrown a bone on Wednesday when the ride-hailing service announced it was offering drivers assistance with retirement planning.
In a blog post, Uber said it was teaming with online robo-investment firm Betterment and that drivers in select areas — Seattle, Boston, Chicago and New Jersey — would be able to use the Uber app to open a Betterment IRA or Roth IRA for free for the first year.
Drivers can start with no minimum account balance, Uber said, and Betterment experts will “walk investors of every skill level through every step of the investment process.”
Uber said that the offer, while directed at those select areas initially, will roll out nationwide soon as part of the company’s Driver Rewards program that offers perks to those who drive for the platform.
Last week, a federal judge in San Francisco rejected Uber’s attempt at a $100 million settlement in a 3-year-old California lawsuit in which drivers are seeking to be treated as employees.
And in Seattle, the company has criticized the city’s request for metrics about drivers as it works to implement a landmark union law that will let drivers for ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Lyft decide if they want to organize and bargain collectively.
On top of all that, the future of Uber cars with drivers in them hangs in the balance as CEO Travis Kalanick told USA Today how the company is better positioning itself for an autonomous vehicle future.
