Belgian Court Recognizes Uber Eats Couriers as Self-Employed: Company Wins Case on Worker Status
The Uber Eats delivery service won a court case in Belgium regarding the legal status of couriers—whether they should be considered self-employed workers operating through the platform or employees. This was reported by The Brussels Times.
The French-speaking labor court in Brussels ruled that three former food delivery couriers for the Uber Eats platform indeed worked as self-employed workers. The couriers themselves insisted that they should be considered employees.
The court noted that the mere existence of working relations does not automatically imply an employment contract. It expressed this position in three rulings issued on Tuesday.
The decision also states that Uber Eats complies with working conditions for self-employed couriers, which are incompatible with the characteristics of an employment contract.
Separately, the court noted that neither algorithmic systems nor geolocation give the platform the ability to exercise hierarchical control over couriers.
The requirement for couriers to take photographs, as stated in the ruling, "serves only to confirm that the courier is indeed a person registered on the platform."
Uber Eats appealed to the labor court after the Administrative Commission for the Regulation of Labor Relations (CAR) in April 2024 supported the couriers' position and stated that they should be reclassified as employees.
The court ruled that the legal costs incurred by Uber Eats must be reimbursed by the Belgian state, the National Social Security Office (RSZ), and three courier services.
At the same time, the court's decisions draw attention to the difficult working conditions of couriers. In particular, it is noted that "it is obvious that couriers receive low pay for minor tasks."
The court also added that such a situation may create uncertainty and require significant availability, especially for those workers who have no other income and financially depend on working as food delivery couriers.
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