Complete guide to appealing deactivation, understanding your rights, and pursuing legal options when gig platforms terminate your account
To appeal an Uber deactivation, open the Uber Driver app and navigate to Help > Account and App Issues > Account Status. Submit your appeal through the in-app form within 30 days of deactivation. Alternatively, visit help.uber.com and select the deactivation appeal option.
In your appeal, clearly explain why you believe the deactivation was incorrect, provide any supporting evidence such as dashcam footage, screenshots of conversations, or GPS data, and remain professional. Uber typically responds within 7-10 business days.
If your initial appeal is denied, you can request a second review or escalate to arbitration under the Uber Platform Access Agreement. California drivers have additional protections under Prop 22, which requires written notice and a chance to respond before deactivation for most violations.
To appeal a Lyft deactivation, submit a request through the Lyft Help Center at help.lyft.com within 30 days. Select Driver > Account Issues and choose the deactivation appeal option. Provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances and attach any supporting documentation.
Lyft reviews appeals and typically responds within 5-14 business days. If denied, you can request a panel review where three Lyft employees will reconsider your case. For serious allegations like safety violations, Lyft may require you to complete a safety education course before reactivation.
Keep records of all communications and note that Lyft's Terms of Service include a mandatory arbitration clause, which may be your final option if internal appeals fail. California drivers should reference Prop 22's notice and appeal requirements in their communications.
To appeal a DoorDash deactivation, log into your Dasher account and visit the Appeals page at help.doordash.com/dashers. Click Get Help > Dasher Account Support > Appeal Deactivation. You have 30 days from the deactivation notice to submit an appeal.
In your appeal, address the specific reason for deactivation, whether it is completion rate, customer ratings, contract violations, or fraud allegations. Provide evidence like screenshots, delivery photos, or communication records. DoorDash typically reviews appeals within 5-7 business days but complex cases may take longer.
If your completion rate dropped below 80% due to app glitches or restaurant issues, document each problematic delivery. For ratings-based deactivations, explain any circumstances beyond your control. If your appeal is denied, you can pursue arbitration under the Independent Contractor Agreement.
Suing a gig company for wrongful deactivation is complicated because most gig platforms require mandatory arbitration through their terms of service. As an independent contractor, you generally lack the employment law protections that employees have against wrongful termination.
However, you may have legal claims if the deactivation involved:
You can opt out of arbitration clauses within 30 days of signing up with most platforms. Small claims court is an option for disputes under certain dollar thresholds, as arbitration clauses often do not apply. Consult with an employment attorney who handles gig worker cases.
The Uber Quality Improvement Course is an online educational program that Uber may require drivers to complete after certain violations or low ratings. The course covers topics like customer service best practices, safety protocols, navigation tips, and professional communication.
It typically takes 1-3 hours to complete and includes videos, quizzes, and acknowledgment forms. After completing the course, you will receive a certificate that you must upload to your driver profile. Uber usually reactivates your account within 24-48 hours of verified completion.
The course is often required for:
There is usually no fee for the course, but third-party courses that Uber partners with may have a cost ranging from $0 to $50 depending on your market and the specific violation.
DoorDash completion rate and acceptance rate are two distinct metrics with different impacts on your account:
Acceptance Rate measures how many delivery offers you accept versus decline. This rate has no minimum requirement and declining orders will not get you deactivated. DoorDash cannot penalize you for declining low-paying orders.
Completion Rate measures how many accepted deliveries you actually complete. This rate must stay above 80% or you risk deactivation. Unassigning an order after accepting it, or failing to complete a delivery, lowers your completion rate.
Legitimate reasons to unassign include:
Document these situations with screenshots. DoorDash tracks completion rate over your last 100 deliveries, so consistent completion is key to maintaining good standing.
Instacart fraud deactivations require a specific appeal process due to their serious nature. If deactivated for suspected fraud, email trust-safety@instacart.com or submit an appeal through the Shopper app under Help > Account Access. Clearly state you are appealing a fraud-related deactivation and request specific details about the alleged violation.
Common fraud allegations include:
In your appeal, provide evidence such as store receipts, photos of out-of-stock shelves, customer communication screenshots, or GPS location history. Request a human review rather than automated denial. Instacart's Trust and Safety team typically responds within 7-14 days. If denied, escalate through arbitration per the Shopper Agreement.
Amazon Flex uses a standing system with four levels: Fantastic, Great, Fair, and At Risk. Your standing is based on reliability, delivery quality, and customer feedback over a rolling period.
Factors affecting standing include on-time delivery rate, packages delivered successfully, customer ratings, and attendance at scheduled blocks. Missing a block without canceling 45 minutes ahead significantly impacts standing.
To appeal deactivation, email amazonflex-support@amazon.com with your driver ID, explain circumstances affecting your performance, and provide documentation. Amazon reviews appeals within 7-10 days but may take longer during peak seasons.
If a Checkr background check caused your gig platform deactivation, you have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to dispute inaccurate information. First, request your background check report directly from Checkr at checkr.com/applicant.
Review the report carefully for errors such as:
File a dispute with Checkr online through their applicant portal, providing documentation like court records, identity documents, or expungement orders. Checkr must investigate within 30 days and correct any errors. After Checkr updates your report, contact the gig platform to request a new background check or reconsideration.
If Checkr refuses to correct errors, file complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and your state attorney general. Consider consulting an FCRA attorney, as violations may entitle you to statutory damages of $100-$1,000.
California Proposition 22, passed in 2020, provides specific protections for app-based drivers facing deactivation. Under Prop 22, gig companies must:
Prop 22 does not apply to deactivations for documented safety threats, background check failures, or fraud. For covered violations, you must receive notice and a chance to explain before losing access to the app.
The law also requires platforms to maintain written policies about deactivation criteria. If a company violates these requirements, you can file a complaint with the California Labor Commissioner. While Prop 22 classifies drivers as independent contractors, these procedural protections provide more due process than gig workers in other states receive.
The choice between arbitration and small claims court depends on your specific situation and goals.
Small Claims Court Advantages:
Many gig platform arbitration clauses contain small claims carve-outs, allowing you to bypass arbitration for disputes under your state's limit (typically $5,000-$12,500).
Arbitration may be preferable for larger claims, complex legal issues, or when you want a private proceeding. Arbitration costs are often covered by the company, and arbitrators may have more expertise in contract disputes.
Check your platform's terms for the arbitration provider (usually AAA or JAMS) and whether they waive filing fees for low-income claimants. Before proceeding, send a written demand letter to the company, which is often required before arbitration and may resolve the dispute without formal proceedings.
Building a strong deactivation appeal requires comprehensive documentation gathered as soon as possible. Essential evidence includes:
Request your complete account data under CCPA (California) or applicable privacy laws, which platforms must provide within 45 days. Obtain witness statements from restaurant workers, customers, or other drivers if relevant.
Keep records of any app glitches, outages, or technical issues that affected your metrics. Create a timeline of events showing what happened and when. Organized, factual evidence significantly improves your appeal success rate compared to emotional arguments alone.
Yes, you can generally work for other gig platforms while appealing a deactivation, as most platforms do not have exclusivity requirements for independent contractors. However, there are important considerations:
Signing up for competing platforms is not retaliation-worthy since you are an independent contractor with the right to work elsewhere. To maintain income during your appeal, apply to:
Diversifying your gig work sources provides financial protection against future deactivations from any single platform.
Deactivation appeal timelines vary by platform and complexity of the issue:
You generally have 30 days from deactivation to file an initial appeal, though some platforms accept appeals beyond this window. If internal appeals fail:
Continue documenting your case throughout the appeal process in case escalation becomes necessary.
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