Key facts
- DPD internal records suggest temporary workers may have missed sick pay.
- DPD internal records suggest temporary workers may have missed pension contributions.
- Experts suggest DPD worker situation could indicate exploitation or non-compliance.
- DPD worker situation may contravene industry guidance.
- Australian hospitality app Supp classifies users as independent contractors.
- Supp's classification may deny workers superannuation entitlements.
- Critics argue Supp's arrangement may constitute unlawful 'sham contracting'.
- The arrangement may shift risk onto vulnerable workers.
Two distinct cases reveal potential exploitation of workers through their classification as independent contractors or temporary staff. Internal documents from DPD, a delivery company, indicate that low-paid temporary workers may have been denied statutory sick pay and pension contributions. Employment law experts suggest this situation could point to exploitation by recruitment agencies or a failure to comply with employment law, potentially violating industry guidance.
In a separate development, the Australian hospitality gig-work app Supp is under scrutiny for classifying its users as independent contractors. This classification potentially deprives workers of entitlements such as superannuation, a mandatory retirement savings scheme in Australia. Critics argue that this arrangement may constitute unlawful 'sham contracting,' a practice where individuals are wrongly classified as self-employed to avoid employer obligations. Such practices can shift significant financial and employment risks onto vulnerable workers.