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Employment status (worker, employee, self-employed, director or contractor) affects employment rights and employer responsibilities in the workplace

• Overview

  In employment law a person’s employment status helps determine: their…

• Worker

  A person is generally classed as a ‘worker’ if: they have a contract or…

• Employee

  An employee is someone who works under an employment contract. A person…

• Employee shareholders

  An employee shareholder is someone who works under an employment contract…

• Self-employed and contractor

  A person is self-employed if they run their business for themselves and…

• Director

  Company directors run limited companies on behalf of shareholders.…

• Office holder

  A person who’s been appointed to a position by a company or organisation…

• Legal decisions on employment status

  A court or employment tribunal (known as an industrial tribunal in…

• Updated: 19 November 2025

• Updated: 5 August 2020

• Updated: 24 February 2022

• Updated: 5 January 2011

This article presents analyses of factors affecting earnings in the UK using the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)

• Updated: 18 November 2015

This article presents analyses of factors affecting earnings in the UK using the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).

• Updated: 26 October 2016

This study evaluates factors that may influence the probability of a graduate gaining highly skilled employment.

• Updated: 29 September 2016

• Updated: 18 January 2016

The results of statistical models which explore the relationship between hourly earnings and a range of independent variables, based on Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2017 provisional results data. There is a particular focus on earnings differences between the...

• Updated: 2 November 2018