Wrongful deactivation of high-volume for-hire vehicle drivers.

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the wrongful deactivation of high-volume for-hire vehicle drivers

This bill would prohibit high-volume for-hire vehicle services (“for-hire vehicle services”) from deactivating high-volume for-hire vehicle drivers (“drivers”), unless due to just cause, a bona fide economic reason, or if required to by law. For-hire vehicle services would be required to provide advance notice prior to deactivating a driver, except that they may immediately deactivate a driver in cases involving account sharing or fraud, or if the driver is alleged to have engaged in egregious misconduct such as violence, sexual harassment or assault, or discrimination. A driver may challenge their deactivation through an informal resolution process with the for-hire vehicle service, or request that the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection investigate the deactivation. If the department determines that the deactivation was wrongful, the driver would be entitled to remedies including reinstatement and back pay.