The Guardian reports that Addison Lee, a private hire and cab and courier service, may be required to pay out large sums to drivers after a court has deemed these staff “workers”.
Lord Justice Bean dismissed an appeal by Addison Lee against a 2017 employment tribunal that found that three drivers for the company were entitled to the minimum wage from the time they logged on as ready to take passengers to the time they logged off. That decision was also upheld by the employment appeal tribunal in 2018.
The ruling is the latest victory for gig economy workers after the UK supreme court dismissed Uber’s appeal against a landmark employment tribunal, which found that its drivers should be classed as workers with access to the minimum wage and paid holidays.
Thousands of Addison Lee drivers could now be entitled to an average £10,000 each in compensation after the court of appeal found they were “workers” entitled to the national minimum wage and paid holiday.
Addison Lee has 28 days in which it could appeal to the supreme court but it is not expected to do so.
Liana Wood, a solicitor at the Leigh Day law firm that represented about 100 drivers in the case, said: “This is a huge decision in favour of Addison Lee drivers and yet another blow to big firms operating in the gig economy.
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