New Zealand Uber Drivers Win Landmark Case Declaring Them Employees

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Guardian: A group of New Zealand Uber drivers have won a landmark case against the global ridesharing company, forcing it to treat them as employees, not contractors, and entitling them to a suite of worker rights and protections. New Zealand's employment court ruled on Tuesday that the drivers were employees, not independent contractors. While the ruling applies specifically to the case of four drivers, the court noted that it may have wider implications for drivers across the country. The court 'does not have jurisdiction to make broader declarations of employment status' so all Uber drivers 'do not, as a result of this judgment, instantly become employees,' chief judge Christina Inglis wrote. She continued, however: 'It may well have broader impact, particularly where, as here, there is apparent uniformity in the way in which the companies operate, and the framework under which drivers are engaged.'

Employment status is the bedrock on which most of New Zealand's minimum employment rights rest. It is 'the gate through which a worker must pass' before they can access legal minimum entitlements including the minimum wage, six minimum hours of work, rest and meal breaks, holidays, parental leave, domestic violence leave, bereavement leave, ability to pursue a personal grievance, and access to union membership and collective bargaining. A spokesperson for Uber said the company was 'disappointed' and would be appealing against the decision. They said it was 'too soon to speculate' on whether New Zealand's drivers having employee status would affect the company's operations in the country more broadly.

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