The term "gig economy" is one that's thrown about regularly in the context of the courier and transport industry.
Whatever your personal opinion on the gig economy, knowledge is power; it's important to arm yourself with as much information as possible from both sides of the argument to gain a genuine insight into its potential ramifications. While the subject garners more than its fair share of negative publicity, it can actually provide a lucrative source of work for the self-employed courier driver. With a number of high-profile cases in the news recently, gaining a legal insight can be very helpful when navigating the minefield of information and opinions on the gig economy. The negative publicity surrounding the effective use of freelancers as a workforce, therefore skirting legislation requiring the implementation of the national minimum wage, has recently culminated in a successful claim by a bike courier against her employer. Richardson's legal perspective and personal opinion, and is in no way to be considered individual legal advice.
Case-by-Case
Despite recent tribunal decisions being seen by some as a landmark, Lord Justice Underhill (who oversaw the aforementioned case) has recommended caution, warning businesses and individuals against making generalisations, and stressing that all future cases will be taken on their own merits. There's no doubt that the trend towards temporary positions and short-term contracts with independent workers is on the rise and, no matter what side of the fence your opinion falls on, its potential ramifications should not be ignored. Richardson says that it is also vital that businesses take recent case rulings into consideration if they intend to engage workers on a freelance basis while seeking to place restrictions – such as set hours/set rates – on them.