Uber fires 20 as part of sexual harassment investigation

Uber has fired 20 employees in recent months, the company said at a staff meeting earlier this week, as part of a wide-ranging investigation of the climate and culture at the popular ride-hailing service.

The report of the firings came from a lawyer at the Perkins Coie law firm, which Uber hired to assist in a broader sexual harassment investigation at the company and which made a presentation at the company's weekly staff meeting Tuesday.

The firings, the company confirmed Tuesday afternoon, were for sexual harassment, discrimination, unprofessional behavior, retaliation, bullying and physical safety - most but not all in the company's San Francisco headquarters.

In addition to sexual harassment, Uber is facing a litany of issues, including a slew of executive departures, the federal criminal investigation over potentially deceiving law enforcement and an admission that it underpaid tens of thousands of drivers.

The company also is in the midst of a major trade secrets lawsuit against Google that threatens its self-driving car ambitions.