Zurich — An Uber driver is an employee for which the company must pay social security contributions, a Swiss insurance agency has ruled, dealing a blow to the US ride-hailing platform that says drivers are independent contractors. The California-based startup whose cab service has expanded worldwide vowed to challenge the ruling, the latest clash with regulators that have accused it of bypassing national labour protection standards and shunning collective negotiation with drivers who work on freelance terms. In October, a British tribunal ruled Uber should treat its drivers as employees and pay them the minimum wage and holiday pay. Suva — which, as a provider of obligatory on-the-job accident insurance in Switzerland, helps decide which workers are freelance — found an Uber Technology driver was staff because he faced consequences if he broke Uber rules; and could not set prices and payment terms independently, broadcaster SRF reported. A Suva spokesman confirmed the report but sai...
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