okay so let's talk about what Uber drivers in LA actually get paid — because the number Uber publishes ($34.46/hr) and the number drivers actually experience are very different things
here's the issue: under Prop 22 (passed in 2020), you're guaranteed 120% of local minimum wage — but ONLY for the time you're actively on a trip with a passenger. the 30–50% of your shift you spend logged on, waiting for that ping? completely unpaid.
when researchers at UC Berkeley's Labor Center ran the actual numbers, they found median pay for LA/SF drivers of around $5.97/hr after all online time was factored in. CalMatters put it at $9.09/hr with tips. both are below California's minimum wage.
and here's where it gets complicated: california's supreme court ruled in 2018 (Dynamex) that gig workers should generally be treated as employees — not contractors. uber kept classifying drivers as contractors anyway. that gap is the basis for thousands of ongoing back pay lawsuits covering the 2016–2020 period.
if you drive for uber (or know someone who does), the most important thing right now is documentation. screenshot your trip logs. track your total online hours, not just active ones. save everything.
