Wolt rejects sham self-employment claims after couriers halt work

Around 60 Wolt couriers stopped working on Wednesday, saying their payments had fallen sharply. In a statement to mbl.is, Wolt rejected claims that it engages in sham self-employment.

The report cites claims that payments had fallen by 40 percent over the past year, while its introduction puts the reduction at 60 percent. Wolt said its own data showed that payments per delivery had remained fairly stable over the past year.

The company said payment amounts vary according to factors including distance, order size and estimated delivery time.

Average earnings of 6,100 krónur

“According to our data, couriers’ average earnings are around 6,100 krónur per active working hour, meaning when they are carrying out deliveries. This is an average, and individual couriers’ earnings vary,” Wolt said.

Wolt defines an active working hour as the time a courier spends handling deliveries. The statement did not say what couriers earn based on the full time they are available, or whether the costs of making deliveries had been deducted.

The company said payments per delivery did not tell the whole story because couriers work different amounts and at different times.

Expects conditions to improve in winter

Wolt said demand is generally higher in winter than in summer, and that new couriers are therefore brought on in stages after the summer.

In August, however, demand did not increase as quickly as expected. More couriers were available than were needed, reducing the number of deliveries available to each courier and their total earnings.

Wolt described the situation as temporary and expects conditions to improve as demand increases during winter. The company said it slows or pauses the recruitment of new couriers when their numbers exceed demand.

Couriers described as independent contractors

“We categorically reject the claim that Wolt engages in sham self-employment. The company has all the permits and rights required to operate as a marketplace for delivery services,” Wolt said.

The company said its couriers are independent contractors who decide when, where and how much they work, and whether to accept individual delivery offers. Around 1,000 couriers currently work with Wolt in Iceland, according to the company.

Wolt said courier satisfaction currently stood at 4.75 out of five, compared with an average of 4.7 last year. The company added that this did not lessen the seriousness of the concerns raised by the protesters.

Representatives of the couriers have been invited to a meeting. “We want to hear their views, review the issues together and discuss what could be improved,” Wolt said.