Addison Lee drivers win worker status

In a landmark decision, an Employment Tribunal has ruled that all Addison Lee drivers are classified as workers, entitling them to workers' rights and backdated compensation for holiday pay and loss of earnings. The case, brought by 700 drivers represented by Leigh Day lawyers, culminates years of legal battles over employment status.

The Tribunal’s ruling follows the 2017 judgment that initially recognised three Addison Lee drivers as workers, granting them rights such as holiday pay and the national minimum wage. Although Addison Lee attempted to appeal the decision and argued that it did not apply to other drivers, these efforts were dismissed, particularly after the 2021 Supreme Court ruling in favour of Uber drivers in a similar case.

The recent judgment confirmed that:

• All Addison Lee drivers, including passenger, courier, and executive drivers, are workers while logged into the company's systems.
• Owner drivers are classified as workers from the moment they accept a job to its completion.
• Claims for holiday pay and minimum wage compensation can extend beyond two years.

The Tribunal criticised Addison Lee’s leadership, concluding that some senior executives acted improperly, including falsifying evidence. Employment Judge EJ Hyams specifically found that changes made by Addison Lee since 2017 merely “paid lip service” to addressing workers' rights, failing to impact their status.

Leigh Day solicitor Liana Wood expressed satisfaction with the outcome: “This decision is of huge importance to drivers who have long fought to be recognised as workers and paid fairly. We urge Addison Lee to compensate drivers promptly.”

This ruling marks a significant victory for Addison Lee drivers and highlights the growing recognition of gig economy workers' rights.