Self Employed Status

Couriers are engaged by Hermes to make deliveries and collections on behalf of Hermes but do so as a self employed person and are not employed by Hermes.

Couriers are responsible for all income tax and national insurance contributions in respect of any fees that they are paid by the Company.

As well as providing a service to Hermes, Couriers may carry out or provide a similar service for any other individual, firm, partnership or company.

For further information regarding Self-Employment please refer to the HMRC website http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employment-status/index.htm

Insurance

Vehicle Business Use insurance is required to deliver and collect parcels on behalf of Hermes. The appropriate insurance can be provided to couriers who are undertaking deliveries or collections for Hermes at a specified daily rate.

In order to provide a courier service to Hermes Couriers are required to complete an ‘insurance decision letter’ which gives the option to opt out of the insurance scheme. Couriers who fail to return a completed decision letter are automatically included in the insurance scheme and charged accordingly.

Courier Liability

If, as a result of negligence or carelessness, a Courier causes damage to a customer’s or third party’s property, or cause injury to a customer or third party, the Courier is liable to the customer or third party for that damage or injury.

Use of 'Substitutes'

Couriers are not under an obligation to provide the service personally. Accordingly, Couriers have the unconditional right to nominate a substitute to provide the service on their behalf, at any time for any reason.

However it is the Courier’s responsibility to ensure that their nominated substitute carries out the service in line with the standards to which they would be subject if they were providing the service.

The Courier is responsible for managing and making payments to the substitute for the service they (the substitute) provide.

As a self employed courier, I agree to my contact details being made available to Hermes or its clients for the purpose of obtaining service information. I acknowledge that in order to safeguard your service to your clients, Hermes may undertake appropriate spot checks on the details provided in my application and criminal record bureau checks where necessary and I give my continuing consent to Hermes to carry out such checks. I agree that Hermes may retain my personal details for possible future courier activity. I can contact Hermes in writing at any time to request the removal of these details. I understand that if I provide my services, Hermes has an obligation to share my details with the Department of Work and Pensions.

I understand that motor insurance is required to deliver and collect parcels and/or catalogues on behalf of Hermes. Additional insurance, on a third party only basis, can be provided at a daily rate to couriers who are undertaking deliveries or collections for Hermes via a QBE scheme.

I understand that in order to provide a courier service to Hermes I will be required to complete an insurance decision letter and that if I fail to return a completed decision letter I will be automatically included in the QBE scheme and charged accordingly.