Uber is moving to end the practice of firing drivers who are intoxicated.
In a memo sent to employees, the ride-hailing giant said that it will be changing the way it processes complaints from drivers who have been deemed to be drunk or disorderly.
Drivers who were previously issued citations for driving under the influence (DUI) will no longer be charged and instead will be subject to a “restraining order,” Uber wrote in a letter to employees obtained by TechCrunch.
Under the new policy, drivers who violate any of the company’s safety guidelines will be suspended and banned from using Uber for two months, as well as face possible fines.
The changes will come into effect immediately, according to Uber.
The change was first reported by the Associated Press.
Driving under the effects of alcohol or drugs is considered a “road safety issue,” according to a summary of Uber’s new policy obtained by the AP.
Uber has come under fire for its behavior with its drivers in the past.
The company has faced lawsuits from drivers and riders alike, including one from a driver who claimed he was punched in the face by a driver after a driver hit his passenger in the head with his car.
Uber later denied the allegations, but the driver, who is now suing Uber for negligence, was eventually charged with assault.