Uber to operate food delivery even if rides business forced shut in California

(Reuters) – Uber Technologies Inc on Monday said it would continue operating its food delivery business Uber Eats even if its ride-hail business is forced shut in California at the end of this week following a court order.

A company spokesman on Monday said that Uber’s food delivery unit did not appear to be impacted by a lawsuit filed by California’s attorney general and a subsequent court order that would force Uber to treat its ride-hail drivers as employees.

Uber in a court filing on Wednesday said it would be forced to shut down its ride-hailing operations in California if a court ruling that blocks it from classifying its drivers as independent contractors goes into effect on Friday morning.

(Reporting by Tina Bellon in New York; Editing by Sandra Maler)