The gig economy has been a recurring theme of recent newsletters. Previously we have said that delivery drivers for Hermes were reported to earn as little as £5.50 an hour. It has also been reported that staff are so scared of having their shifts withdrawn they have worked sick with sick buckets in their cars and that other staff have received threats from the company after missing shifts to be with their dying children. These sort of conditions you would expect at a Sports Direct warehouse and nowhere else!
Any employer who uses similar arrangements may need to remember that if an employer initially starts on a self-employed basis the amount of work they are offered and the obligations of both the employer and employee towards said work can result in their employment status changing as the working relationship progresses. Failure to acknowledge this and consequently a failure to pay the minimum wage could result in similar sanctions.
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