Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Gig economyLatest NewsWhistleblowing

Hermes “coerced” staff into misleading HMRC, manager claims

by Ashleigh Webber 4 May 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 4 May 2018 Paul Zinken/DPA/PA Images
Paul Zinken/DPA/PA Images

HM Revenue and Customs is reportedly investigating allegations that delivery company Hermes trained managers to mislead tax officials about how it treated workers. 

According to the Guardian, a manager at the company has written to Frank Field, chair of the work and pensions committee, alleging that senior managers coached staff during an investigation into whether it had paid some of its self-employed couriers below the national minimum wage. Hermes has denied the claims.

The investigation, which took place in 2016, followed concerns that some of the company’s couriers were earning £6 per hour, despite the national minimum wage being £7.20 at the time.

Employment status

Determining employment status

“We’re not like Uber or the other gig economy companies” – Hermes

The anonymous manager reportedly said in the letter: “If we gave an answer to the manager we were corrected and told not to say that but to say something more positive.

“We were coerced into saying something which wasn’t true. Most of which related to self-employed couriers and how they were treated.”

Field allegedly forwarded the manager’s claims to HMRC. The tax authority’s chief executive, Jon Thompson, said it would “assess all the information we receive before making a decision on the most appropriate cause of action”.

A spokesperson for Hermes told the Guardian: “All employees were asked to cooperate fully with HMRC as we are confident in our operating model.”

They said “HMRC is highly skilled at recognising if ‘coaching’ has taken place” and claimed that Hermes urged managers to tell staff “to be open and honest with HMRC”.

An employment tribunal involving several self-employed drivers who work for Hermes began this week. They claim they are being denied benefits such as holiday pay and the national living wage because the company has asked them to identify as self-employed.

“Guaranteed hours, holiday pay, sick pay, pension contributions are not privileges companies can dish out when they fancy. They are the legal right of all UK workers, and that’s what we’re asking the courts to rule on,” GMB general secretary Tim Roache said of the employment tribunal.

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
MPs to investigate the health and wellbeing of prison staff
next post
Hundreds of skilled migrants wrongly face deportation

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Ministers release guidance to clarify UK employment status...

28 Jul 2022

Bolt drivers strike as union launches workers’ rights...

15 Jun 2022

Oxford study highlights best gig economy firms to...

9 Jun 2022

Deliveroo signs deal with union GMB to cover...

12 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: absence of employment bill leaves organisations...

10 May 2022

Union urges Uber to make pensions Sharia compliant

20 Apr 2022

Employment Bill could face further delay

4 Apr 2022

Zero-hours work ‘tightens grip of structural racism’ on...

9 Mar 2022

Pimlico Plumbers holiday pay ruling: four steps for...

9 Mar 2022

Pimlico Plumbers loses holiday pay appeal in case...

1 Feb 2022
  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more
  • Preventing Burnout: How can HR help key workers get the right help? PROMOTED | Workplace wellbeing may seem a distant memory...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+