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04 August 2011
Issue: 7477 / Categories: Case law , Law reports , In Court
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Employment—Worker—Definition

Autoclenz Ltd v Belcher and others [2011] UKSC 41, [2011] All ER (D) 251 (Jul)

Supreme Court, Lord Hope DP, Lord Walker, Lord Collins, Lord Clarke and Lord Wilson SCJJ, 27 Jul 2011

In determining whether a person is a “worker” within the meaning of reg 2(1) of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/584) (which adopted the definition in s 54(3) of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998), and of the Working Time Regulations (SI 1998/1833), the essential question is what are the terms of the agreement, taking into account the relative bargaining power and all the circumstances of the case, of which the written agreement is only a part.

Thomas Linden QC and Patrick Green (instructed by Pinsent Masons LLP) for the appellant. Timothy Brennan QC and Peter Edwards (instructed by Thompsons Solicitors) for the respondents.

The appellant was a company which provided car cleaning services to motor retailers and auctioneers at a number of different places. The respondents were 20 individual valeters who at the material time provided car cleaning

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After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
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