Lawsuits Ask whether Ride-Sharing Drivers Are Employees or Independent Contractors

After catching a break when the California Public Utilities Commission voted last year not to force ride-sharing companies to buy workers’ compensation insurance for its drivers, now the industry is facing a pair of lawsuits in U.S. District Court that threaten to classify its drivers as employees. Uber, Lyft and other “ride-sharing” companies – or “transportation network companies,” as the Public Utilities Commission has dubbed them – offer a free app for smartphones through which users can request a ride from a driver nearby. Like a taxi service...