Uber drivers are independent contractors, not employees. That means they’re free to accept or decline opportunities for employment — and also free to discuss their take-home pay with their families. But even independent contractors can sometimes benefit from an extra hand. That’s what happened to one Uber driver in New York City who received a tip award of more than $200 after she picked up a passenger at a popular bar. But did you know that Uber drivers can get fired for refusing to accept tips? The answer is yes. In some cities, including New York, Uber drivers are required to accept tips. In other cities, including New York, Uber drivers are not required to accept tips. So how can you tell if your Uber driver is allowed to take tips or not? Here’s what you need to know.
can uber drivers see your tip?
As of this writing, Uber drivers do not receive a tip credit. That’s because the Uber system lets drivers see how much the customers have left, and drivers haven’t compensated accordingly. As a result, the Uber community is lagging behind other transportation services in regard to tipping.
What Is Uber’s Tipping Policy?
- First off, Uber does not have a policy for tipping. It’s up to each driver to decide if they want to accept tips from their passengers.
- If your driver is in a city where tipping is required, you can’t tip them directly through the app. However, you can leave a tip in cash on the seat of their car or give them cash at the end of your ride.
- If your driver is not in a city where tipping is required and they have accepted an UberPool trip with other riders, then you can leave a tip for your ride on the rider’s profile page in the app — but only if you are certain that no one else will see it or if you want to make sure that your driver knows how much to pay out of pocket for their ride.
- If your driver has opted out of UberPool and you are taking an UberX or an UberXL ride, then it’s okay to leave a tip in the app.
- If your driver has opted out of UberX or UberXL, then it’s okay to leave a tip in the app if you’re on an Uber SUV or an Uber Black ride.
- It’s up to you to decide whether or not you want to leave a tip for your driver.
- The only way that your driver can see how much money you’ve tipped is if they open the app and look at the passenger profile page.
- If your driver is taking an UberPool trip with other riders, then they will not be able to see how much the other riders have tipped.
- If your driver has opted out of UberPool, then they won’t be able to see how much their passengers have tipped unless they opt back in again on their own time and choose that option again when prompted by the app during their next trip request.
Can Uber Drivers Take Tips?
Uber Drivers Can Take Tips in New York City
Uber drivers can take tips in New York City. Uber drivers are not required to accept tips. But if they do, they are paid a gratuity of 15% (or more if you choose). The gratuity is added to their base rate and is not considered part of their hourly wage.
Uber Drivers Can Take Tips in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles
Uber drivers can take tips in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Uber drivers are not required to accept tips. But if they do, the gratuity percentage is usually between 10% and 15%, which is still less than the minimum wage for their state or city. The gratuity percentage is added to their base rate and is not considered part of their hourly wage.
Uber Drivers Can Take Tips in Seattle and Washington D.C., but Not New York City
Uber drivers can take tips in Seattle and Washington D.C., but not New York City. Seattle and Washington D.C. have laws that require Uber drivers to accept tips, but New York City does not have a law that requires Uber drivers to accept tips. So if you’re in New York City, your Uber driver is not required to accept tips — but they can still decide whether or not they want to take them.
Uber Drivers Can Take Tips in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston
Uber drivers can take tips in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas and Houston. Uber drivers are not required to accept tips. But if they do, the gratuity percentage is usually between 10% and 15%, which is still less than the minimum wage for their state or city. The gratuity percentage is added to their base rate and is not considered part of their hourly wage.
Uber Drivers Can Take Tips in Nashville and Pittsburgh
Uber drivers can take tips in Nashville and Pittsburgh. Uber drivers are not required to accept tips. But if they do, the gratuity percentage is usually between 10% and 15%, which is still less than the minimum wage for their state or city. The gratuity percentage is added to their base rate and is not considered part of their hourly wage.
Uber Drivers Can Take Tips in Columbus and Raleigh-Durham, but Not New York City
Uber drivers can take tips in Columbus and Raleigh-Durham, but not New York City. The gratuity percentage is usually between 10% and 15%, which is still less than the minimum wage for their state or city. But gratuities are exempt from income tax in both cities, so you won’t have to pay any taxes on them (although some states like California do tax tip income). They are also exempt from payroll taxes in both cities, so you won’t have to pay any federal or state taxes on them.
What If My Driver Requests A Tip?
- If your driver asks for a tip, you should always give it to them. Drivers are independent contractors, not employees, and are free to take or refuse tips. If a driver suggests that they won’t accept tips, then they’re simply asking you to do their job for them.
- If your Uber driver doesn’t ask for money but gives you a bad rating or takes longer than normal to get you where you need to go, then they may be trying to dissuade you from tipping them by giving you the “runaround” or taking longer than normal.
- If your driver asks for money but doesn’t give an explanation of why they need it, then they may be trying to get money from someone else (a friend or family member) and asking for your help in covering their cost. This is still technically legal and doesn’t mean that your driver is doing anything wrong.
- If your driver asks for money but gives you a bad rating or takes longer than normal to get you where you need to go, then they may be trying to dissuade you from tipping them by giving you the “runaround” or taking longer than normal.
- If your driver asks for money and tells you that they’ve been denied tips in the past because they did something wrong, then they may be trying to get money from someone else (a friend or family member) and asking for your help in covering their cost. This is still technically legal and doesn’t mean that your driver is doing anything wrong.
- If your Uber driver isn’t requesting a tip but gets a bad rating, then it’s possible that the rating wasn’t based on their actual service, but rather on an unrelated issue such as an hour of waiting in the rain or a rude passenger.
- If your driver doesn’t ask for money and gives you a bad rating, then it’s possible that the rating wasn’t based on their actual service, but rather on an unrelated issue such as an hour of waiting in the rain or a rude passenger.
- If your Uber driver asks for money but gives you a good rating, then it’s possible that they got a bad rating because of an unrelated issue such as being stuck in traffic or waiting for their next fare.
Conclusion
Uber drivers are independent contractors, not employees. That means they’re free to accept or decline opportunities for employment — and also free to discuss their take-home pay with their families. But even independent contractors can sometimes benefit from an extra hand. That’s what happened to one Uber driver in New York City who received a tip award of more than $200 after she picked up a passenger at a popular bar.