DPD to give self-employed drivers sick pay, pension and annual leave rights

DPD is to give its self-employed workers new rights including sick pay, annual leave and a pension as part of a new driver code, which comes after the death of a self-employed driver earlier this year.

Self-employed driver Don Lane died in January after missing medical appointments to avoid a second £150 penalty from DPD, having previously been handed one in July 2017 after he took time off to attend a hospital appointment.

As part of the new driver code, DPD will scrap the £150 fine system and introduce what it described as a more transparent, points-based system for service failures.

The business said that the new worker contract will allow drivers to maintain the benefits of self-employment, including flexible working and the opportunity for higher income, while giving them rights previously only given to employees.

DPD said its employed and self-employed drivers will be given the option to switch to the new worker status when it becomes available. All its employees will be given the opportunity to switch employment status on an annual basis after that.

The carrier added that employees would only be able to change after receiving extensive advice and information from the business.

As part of the strategic review behind the new driver code, DPD said it has been consulting with its drivers around the UK.

It has also been consulting with former Labour Parliamentary Party chairman Lord Watts and former chairman of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy select committee Iain Wright.

DPD CEO Dwain McDonald said that the business recognised its need to improve the way it worked with its drivers, as it hadn’t moved with the times and was in need of an update.

He said: "At the moment, we have drivers who are self-employed and those that are employed directly by DPD.

“While the vast majority of our self-employed drivers tell us they want to remain self-employed, we want to provide them with a choice of options, including the new worker status.

“We are looking at all aspects of how we work with our drivers at the moment, and I'm consulting closely with both our drivers and our external advisers Lord Watts and Iain Wright to make sure these changes are fair for all our drivers.”

More details are expected on the new DPD Driver Code later this spring.