Finland's Supreme Administrative Court has ruled that food couriers are employees, not self-employed entrepreneurs. The case on appeal before the court concerned couriers operating on the platform of the food delivery company Wolt.
According to the Supreme Administrative Court ruling, which now sets a precedent, couriers have been subordinate to the company, with the result that their independence was in part only illusory and masked a genuine employment relationship.
At the same time, however, the court also held that the working time legislation does not apply to the work of the couriers.
In an emailed statement to Yle, Wolt, said that it has just received the verdict and will study it in detail in the coming days.
In its ruling, the Supreme Administrative Court reversed the decision of a lower court issued last year. In February 2024, the Hämeenlinna Administrative Court ruled that Wolt's couriers are entrepreneurs, not employees.
