Deliveroo has called on the Government to introduce a ‘Charter for secure flexible work’ which would allow on-demand companies to provide self-employed workers in the on-demand economy extra security and benefits, without the risk of this affecting their self-employment status.
Last November, Deliveroo riders were confirmed as self-employed by the Central Arbitration Committee, a decision which was backed up by the High Court in May.
Deliveroo is making free insurance available to all 35,000 riders it works with globally, and would like to go further. However, companies such as Deliveroo are currently constrained in offering security to self-employed riders, as legislation means that doing so would likely result in riders having their employment status reclassified through the courts.
This in turn would limit the flexibility riders value as they would have to work in compulsory sessions arranged with Deliveroo in advance and ride exclusively for the company during those sessions.
In its response to the Government’s consultation on Employment Status - following Matthew Taylor’s review into modern employment practices - Deliveroo argues that a ‘Charter for secure flexible work’ would provide greater clarity to companies over the protections they can give to self-employed contractors.
The Charter would also establish that benefits can be accrued on the basis of work performed rather than hours or days worked, allowing riders to continue enjoying the flexibility of being able to work with multiple companies at the same time, whenever and wherever they want.
Deliveroo would like to see the following specified within a Charter as support that could be directly provided by a company to a self-employed person, without this affecting their employment status:
Providing benefits directly - a company is able to directly provide certain benefits to contractors, including accident or third party liability insurance; funds or other payments expressly indicated to be used for things such as time off for holidaysTraining. A company is able to provide training, either for health and safety purposes, specialist training courses related to the work contracted for, or training for wider life skills or educational qualifications.
Deliveroo is urging the Government to follow the example of President Macron and look at policy solutions to balance flexibility and security for platform workers. The French majority party have brought forward draft legislation that would compel platforms to offer platform workers a ‘charter’ that defines how they work together. The ‘charter’ would outline that benefits and training can be offered to platform workers and that this would not jeopardise their self-employment status.
Deliveroo CEO and founder, Will Shu said, ‘Five years ago I completed the first order for Deliveroo. I still make deliveries to this day, so I know how important it is that riders are given the security they deserve.
‘I’m proud that Deliveroo has led the way in the on-demand economy by giving riders greater protection whilst they’re out delivering amazing food. But we want to go further.
‘That’s why we’re calling on the Government to allow companies like Deliveroo to offer riders more security without putting at risk the flexibility they value.
‘Ending the trade off between flexibility and security will help ensure the UK’s on-demand economy is fit for the future and benefits businesses, consumers and riders alike.’
Deliveroo was the first platform in the on-demand economy to offer riders protection whilst out on the road, with 35,000 riders in all markets in which Deliveroo operates having access to free accident insurance. Cyclists are also enrolled onto a public liability insurance scheme free of charge - a product previously unavailable to those working on a bicycle.
However, under the current legislative framework, there is an associated legal risk to riders’ employment status in providing these benefits. Deliveroo wants this trade off between flexibility and security to end.