Uber drivers in the UK get paid leave, pensions after a Supreme Court ruling
Last month, the court ruled that a group of Uber drivers who filed a lawsuit with the Labor Court were not independent contractors because their activities were “very tightly defined and managed by Uber”. The judge cited the company’s control of prices and how it dictated contractual terms for drivers performing their services. The lawsuit against Uber was first filed by Yassin Aslam and James Farrar in 2016 when the two men were driving for Uber.
The decision represents a major defeat for Uber in the United Kingdom, where it has come under pressure from labor activists and transport regulators. Uber defended its controversial business model of treating its workers as independent contractors, while recently introducing new benefits as a kind of middle ground.
As part of the polling process, Uber continues to treat its drivers as independent contractors with some new benefits perks, including ensuring minimum profits based on “time to share” when a driver fulfills a pick-up or drop-off request, but not the time they spend waiting for a party. Uber and other gig companies have announced that they plan to push similar laws in other states, as well as pursue federal legislation in the US to bolster their approach.
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