Delivery bags of the food courier service Wolt. Photo: Roni Rekomaa / Lehtikuva
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Wolt has proposed a new model that would allow its couriers in Finland to choose whether to work as employees or remain self-employed, following a recent decision by the Supreme Administrative Court.
The court ruled last month that Wolt couriers must be classified as employees. The decision challenges the company’s current model, under which couriers operate as light entrepreneurs responsible for their own taxes and benefits.
Wolt responded by outlining a dual-option system. Couriers opting for employee status would receive fixed terms, including benefit contributions paid by Wolt. They would earn 65 percent of the delivery fee. Those choosing to remain entrepreneurs would continue under the current system, managing their own costs and contributions.
“We are looking at how to combine employment and flexibility,” said Olli Koski, Wolt’s Public Policy Director for the Nordics.
The company shared the proposal in a bulletin sent to couriers and is collecting feedback. It does not plan immediate changes and intends to maintain current operations through the summer. Wolt indicated the court’s ruling leaves several questions unresolved and requires further consultation with couriers and Finnish authorities.
The Supreme Administrative Court also found that working time legislation does not apply to Wolt couriers, as they independently select their shifts.
More concrete actions are expected in the autumn. Joel Järvinen, Wolt’s Chief Operating Officer for Northern Europe, said the company is examining how to structure employment benefits for couriers, especially those without a consistent income pattern. He noted sick pay calculations as a specific challenge.
Wolt operates with over 10,000 couriers in Finland, around half of whom work weekly. An additional 20,000 are waiting to join the platform. Many current couriers are immigrants, with limited access to other employment.
Wolt was founded in Finland in 2014 and sold to the US-based company DoorDash in 2022. The Supreme Administrative Court’s ruling is expected to affect the broader food delivery sector in Finland.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
