WHEELS OF JUSTICE

Top U.K. Court: Uber Drivers Are Workers, Not Self-Employed

The case has been closely watched around the world because of its implications for the gig economy.

Uber suffered a serious blow in its biggest European market Friday when the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Uber drivers are company employees—and not self-employed. It means that tens of thousands of British Uber drivers may soon be entitled to employment benefits such as minimum wage and paid time off. The case—which reached the Supreme Court after Uber lost three earlier rounds—has been closely watched around the world because of its implications for the gig economy, which relies on cheap work by independent contractors. The court decision came months after Californians voted to make Uber and other gig-economy companies exempt from state laws requiring them to class drivers as employees. After Friday’s defeat, Uber said it will “respect the court’s decision” and said “will now consult with every active driver across the U.K. to understand the changes they want to see.”