Ride-sharing application, Uber is near a final settlement related to some sexual harassment and discrimination claims made by its staff. The company will pay 1.5 million pounds to 56 present and former employees who claim that they were the victims of sexual harassment.
The 56 employees also get around 8530.22 pounds as part of a class action involving 485 people who claimed discrimination. The payment is expected to be a portion of the company’s total settlement of 7.75 million pounds agreed in March this year.
The class action case is based in the US and being moved by two Latina engineers who alleged that they are paid less than that of their Asian, white, and male colleagues. The duo registered a legal claim against Uber in October 2017 and claimed that they faced harassment and bitter work environment due to their gender and ethnic origin.
Both parties including the company and the claimants have to get the necessary approval from the court to get the payout. In addition to legal battle, Uber is being questioned by US officials for gender bias.
A hearing will be held at a court in California to make final approval of the settlement in November, this year.
The sexual harassment and discrimination claims are among a series of legal issues that Uber's administration had faced in the last year.
Last month, Liane Hornsey, head of Uber’s Human Resource Department left her job after an internal probe into how Liane handled racial discrimination claims as a company human resource department head.
Meanwhile, some of the issues of the Uber have been solved recently which include loss of its license to function in London and legal suit in the US registered by a lady who alleged Uber staff of improperly having her medical records after she was raped by a driver in India.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.