The ‘Gig Economy’ has not been far from the news lately, with a number of cases due to be heard by the Employment Tribunal in the coming months. Perhaps the most well-known are those involving the UBER and Deliveroo drivers. But how important is employment status?
There are 3 main types of employment status:
- Employee
- Worker
- Self Employed
Your employment status goes much deeper than just the label you, your employer or contract may place on you. When deciding what your true employment status is a tribunal will look at how you work in practice, rather than what your employer or documents may say.
The reason employment status is so important is because it affects what rights you may have under employment law. The more defined the employment relationship is (an employer-employee is the most defined in terms of obligation and control), the more reciprocal rights and protections you will have. Conversely, a self-employed person, who has total control of their own work, has the least protection under employment law.
Employers may try to argue that a person has a different employment status in order to avoid giving them certain protections, such as holiday pay or sick pay. It is therefore important to be aware of your true employment status to ensure that you do not miss out on any of your rights and entitlements.
If you have any questions about your employment status or employment rights, then we can help.
Here at Beecham Peacock we have a trusted relationship with some of the largest trade unions in the country to protect your working rights. For further information call us on 0191 232 3048 or email enquire@beechampeacock.co.uk.
