Catherwood LibraryILR School

In light of near constant debate surrounding the question of whether or not ‘gig economy’ workers are truly self-employed, the UK Supreme Court has taken on the case of an allegedly self-employed plumber who claims he is entitled to workers’ rights. Gary Smith, who worked for Pimlico Plumbers between 2005 and 2011, was dismissed after attempting to reduce his hours. Smith took his case to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, where a judge ruled that he should be considered a worker as Pimlico Plumbers obligated him to work a certain number of hours per week and placed restrictions surrounding what kind of work he could do. The firm has unsuccessfully attempted to appeal this decision and the case made its way through the Court of Appeal, now landing in the Supreme Court, where a final decision is expected to be made within six months. The Supreme Court’s decision would ultimately apply to all self-employed persons in the UK, leading to high anxieties and fears among gig economy employers like Uber and Deliveroo.