"‘Freelance’ apps warned they could be breaking law,"

Two gig economy apps that provide ‘freelance’ workers to high street retailers have been warned they may be operating illegally by the government.

Employment rights minister Justin Madders has written to YoungOnes and Temper, two Dutch-owned companies which provide UK businesses with “self-employed” workers, to tell them their operations could be in breach of employment law and staffing agency regulations.

In the letters, Madders stated that “bogus self-employment is entirely unacceptable” and he would not hesitate to ask authorities to “scrutinise employers or agencies whose behaviour appears to be exploitative”...

Madders said it is unacceptable for businesses to claim people are self-employed “when it does not represent the reality of the relationship”.

He has called on the chief executives of YoungOnes and Temper to confirm the steps their companies are taking to comply with the laws governing employment status and employment agencies in the UK...

YoungOnes told the Observer it had responded to Madders’ letter saying employment rights law and agency regulations do not apply to the company. “While neither framework applies to YoungOnes, we remain aware of, respect and understand these laws and regulations,” said James Medd, chief operating officer...

A spokesperson for Temper said: “Temper operates with full confidence in the legality of our model, which has been rigorously evaluated in both the Netherlands and the UK. We stand firmly committed to ethical practices, transparency and contributing positively to a sustainable labour market.”

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