Courier company Hermes may face legal action from workers who believe that they have been wrongly categorised as self-employed. The Couriers Union said it had received a letter from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DELR) confirming its classification as an “employer” under the Fair Work Act. “The aim of this tribunal will not only be to gain justice for drivers working with Hermes, but also to set off a domino effect in the wider gig economy, so that justice can likewise be gained for the many tens of thousands of people working in that industry.” A similar case was successfully brought against Uber last year when an employment tribunal ruled that drivers should be classified as workers and were thus entitled to the national living wage, sick pay and paid leave.
Courier company Hermes may face legal action from workers who believe that they have been wrongly categorised as self-employed. The Couriers Union said it had received a letter from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DELR) confirming its classification as an “employer” under the Fair Work Act. A similar case was successfully brought against Uber last year when an employment tribunal ruled that drivers should be classified as workers and were thus entitled to the national living wage, sick pay and paid leave.