‘Volunteer’ Coastal Rescue Officer was a worker when carrying out remunerated activities (Groom v Maritime and Coastguard Agency)

Table of contents

• What are the practical implications of this decision?
• What is the background?
• Relevant law
• Background facts
• Decision of the employment tribunal
• What did the EAT decide?
• Case details

Article summary

Employment analysis: ‘Volunteer’ is not a term of art and the legal status of all volunteers will depend upon the construction of the documents as a whole. The employment tribunal in this case had erred by finding that there was no contract (and therefore no worker status) where the claimant had to make a claim for remuneration rather than receiving payment automatically, according to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT).