New forms of work and platform work: France case study

In recent years, France adopted an approach that allowed to improve working conditions and social protection of self-employed platform workers without reclassifying them as employees. While in 2020 the highest court in France – the Court of Cassation – recognised Uber drivers as employees,1 the overall focus of policy initiatives in France has been on ensuring that platform workers are granted adequate social protection regardless of their employment status.

Overall, initiatives aimed at improving the social protection of platform workers are part of the French government's wider efforts to extend social protection to the self-employed.