The High Court has ruled that Deliveroo's riders are indeed 'self-employed', prompting the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) gain the go-ahead to challenge this, in the latest gig economy case.
Deliveroo claimed a victory after the Central Arbitration Committee's (CAC) ruling that because riders were able to pass on a job to a substitute or abandon a job, they were not obliged to provide a “personal service” and therefore could not be classified as workers.
Deiveroo has called for a change in employment law so it could offer benefits such as sick pay to its riders while “maintaining flexibility”.
A Deliveroo spokesperson said, ‘Today’s decision has clearly upheld the central finding of the CAC, which is that Deliveroo riders are self-employed. This is good news for Deliveroo riders who value the ability to choose when and where to work.
‘The court has allowed a limited challenge on human rights grounds. Deliveroo has long argued that the self-employed should have access to greater protections, and we welcome any debate on how that can best be achieved.
‘The decision was reached having considered the recent judgment of the Supreme Court in the Pimlico Plumbers case, and emphatically rejects the union’s challenge based on this judgment.’