Delivery riders entitled to holiday pay

Gig economy workers, including the likes Deliveroo and Uber Eats riders, are entitled to receive a holiday pay, a court has ruled.

As reported by The Times, the Court of Appeal has ruled that these workers are entitled to a minimum amount of annual holiday pay, with businesses required to calculate a worker’s average pay over 12 weeks to determine an average weekly wage for holiday pay.

The decision was made in a case (Harpur Trust v Brazel and Unison) brought by a music teacher who challenged the policy of a Bedfordshire charity where she worked, but it likely to have wide ranging impact, and could pile on extra costs for delivery businesses.

According to Unison, the verdict in the case guarantees all workers a minimum of 28 days paid annual leave even if they’re not paid (or given work) for parts of the year.

The status of gig economy workers and their rights has been a long running issue of debate in the courts. Last year the High Court granted a judicial review of an earlier decision that said Deliveroo drivers were self-employed contractors rather than workers.