A driver working for one of our clients heard rumors at their depot regarding potential claims against a parcel network they were providing services for. The driver, unsure of their employment status, reached out to Acas and wrote a simple letter stating, “I heard about some claims against [the company] and I think I should have been employed.”
Acas got in touch with our client, but unfortunately, the email was ignored by the individual in charge of the main company’s email. As a result, the period to mediate the claim ended, and a tribunal hearing date was set.
The challenge
The driver was claiming nearly £2000, even though they had only worked for a few months with the company. Due to the missed mediation period, the company now faced the prospect of a tribunal hearing with a substantial claim on the line. It was only at this point that the client contacted us for help.
The solution
Wise was brought in just weeks before the tribunal hearing. We took swift action to handle the claim on behalf of the client, managing all communication and negotiations. Our team:
- Drafted all responses to both the claimant and Acas.
- Managed negotiations, ensuring that all terms were favorable for the company.
- Provided the client with ready-to-send responses, so they only needed to copy and paste our responses- minimising their involvement and stress.
We worked tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome for the client, pushing for a favorable settlement while avoiding the need for a tribunal hearing.
The outcome
Through careful negotiation, we successfully settled the claim for less than £400 – significantly lower than the original £2000 claim. This settlement occurred just weeks before the tribunal hearing, marking a significant success for the client. Given the circumstances, this outcome was considered a major win for the company, as we likely could have settled for even less, or potentially nothing at all, if handled differently.
We do not have cases where drivers are successful in status claims because we always manage to settle these before they reach that stage – and this is exactly how we save our clients thousands in legal fees.
Support provided by Wise
- Drafted and managed all responses and correspondence with Acas and the claimant.
- Negotiated on behalf of the client to secure the best possible settlement.
- Delivered an efficient solution, allowing the client to avoid the stress and complexity of a tribunal hearing.
