Gig account deactivated, like being fired?
Your work always looked like a real job, then your account was deactivated.
Your account was deactivated with a short message and no real explanation. It felt exactly like being fired, even though the platform calls you an independent partner.
Whether gig work is true self employment or disguised employment depends on how the work functioned, not the label. Courts weigh that case by case.
What makes gig work look more like employment?
Signals include the platform setting your rates, controlling how work is assigned, penalising you for declining jobs, and requiring exclusivity or specific equipment.
A worker who can set prices, work for competitors and decline assignments without penalty looks more like a genuine independent contractor.
Does deactivation work like a dismissal?
If the relationship is found to be employment, deactivation can be treated the same as a dismissal under the Industrial Relations Act, the foundation of any unfair dismissal claim.
The reason given for deactivation, and whether you could respond, then matters the way a dismissal reason would.
Who has to justify the classification and the decision?
If you bring a claim, your employer or the platform must show a genuine, unrelated business reason for the decision.1
Screenshots of the app’s rules, your ratings history and any messages about the deactivation are useful evidence.
How long do you have to act?
If deactivation is treated as a dismissal, you have 60 days from that date to file a Section 20 representation.2 This is the written claim you lodge to say your dismissal was unfair, and it goes to the Director General of Industrial Relations.
Act within that window even while the classification question is unsettled, because the deadline does not wait for the answer.
What should you do this week?
Save the deactivation message, your account history, your ratings, and any record of your hours and work pattern over time.
If you are paid on commission, read about being paid commission only but treated like an employee. Then use the deadline calculator to track your window.
If you want a lawyer to pursue this, request lawyer contact first; only after an identified independent lawyer has contacted you and specifically requested the material, send your deactivation notice and work history directly to that lawyer. They can review whether it is a case they can act on.
Your gig account was deactivated and you believe you were really an employee. An independent employment lawyer can review your work history and take it forward if you have grounds.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
Does a platform app agreement calling me a partner settle my status?
No. As with any contractor label, the working relationship matters more than the wording. The Industrial Court looks at control and integration into the business, not the title used.
What if I only worked part time through the platform?
Part time or flexible hours do not rule out employee status. They are one factor, alongside control and exclusivity. The actual pattern of your work decides.
Can I challenge a deactivation even without a formal termination letter?
Yes. A deactivation message or in app notification can act as the dismissal itself for the 60-day deadline. Treat the date of that message as your starting point.
Is there a minimum number of platform jobs needed to bring a claim?
There is no fixed minimum. Even irregular work can be relevant, depending on the overall pattern of control and dependency on the platform.
Sources
- In an unfair dismissal case the burden of proof rests on the employer to show just cause or excuse for what happened. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- An employee who believes they were dismissed without just cause may file a Section 20 representation within 60 days of the dismissal. Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
Your gig account was deactivated and you believe you were really an employee. An independent employment lawyer can review your work history and take it forward if you have grounds.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.