Couriers carrying emergency blood supplies for the NHS have won full employment rights in a first for the gig economy.

The Doctors Laboratory (TDL), a company that provides pathology services, had argued that all its cyclists, motorcyclists and van drivers were self-employed contractors with no employment rights beyond basic health and safety and anti-discrimination rules...

Last year, TDL conceded the couriers should be classed as workers, a formal employment classification with limited rights including holiday pay and the national minimum wage. The gig economy union the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is now pursuing about £1m in holiday back-pay for 50 TDL workers.

But in an out-of-court settlement the company has now acknowledged that some of those couriers are employees, the most protected status, which comes with full rights including sick leave, maternity pay and the ability to challenge unfair dismissal...

A spokesperson for TDL said: “We are pleased to have achieved a satisfactory settlement with the individuals concerned and to date have received no further claims.” [also refers to Deliveroo, Uber, Hermes and DPD]