The long-running case concerning the employment status of Uber drivers has now reached the Court of Appeal.
Uber is appealing against the decision that its drivers should be treated as workers rather than self-employed, meaning that they have a right to paid annual leave and the national minimum wage. The unions calculate that this is worth £18,000 per driver.
Uber's position is that the employment tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal both "fundamentally misunderstood" how it operates. It also points to the fact that it has made some changes to give drivers more control over how they use its app.
The implications of this case (and of the government's consultation on employment status) will be highly significant for those working in the gig economy. We will issue an update when the Court of Appeal's judgment is available. In the meantime, read more about the drivers' claims and how the question of employment status was addressed by the tribunal and the EAT here and here.
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Practice Development Lawyer
