Principles

Fairwork is a research project that aims to set and measure fair standards for the future of work. Part of the Fairwork project focuses on rating working conditions in the platform economy. We do this through the five principles of fair platform work.

The five principles of fair platform work were developed through an extensive literature review of published research on job quality, stakeholder meetings in Geneva (involving platform operators, policymakers, trade unions, and academics), and in-country meetings with local stakeholders.

Platform work falls into two broad categories:

Location-based platform work is work that needs to be performed in-person, requiring physical proximity between worker and customer. This includes ride-hailing, care work, cleaning, delivery work and beauty services.
Cloudwork (online platform work) is work that can be performed online from anywhere in the world. This includes translation, design work, filling in surveys, and training AI systems.

Because working conditions and risks to workers differ substantially across the two different types of platform work, we have developed two sets of Fairwork standards, both underpinned by our five principles of fairness: the Fairwork principles for location-based platform work, and the Fairwork principles for cloudwork (online platform work).

In addition, we have developed a set of principles to assess the working conditions behind the development and deployment of Artifical Intelligence (AI) systems in the context of employment relations. Many platform workers interact with AI systems in the workplace, and many others perform the critical data work that underpins the development of AI systems. The Fairwork principles for AI are also underpinned by our five principles of fairness.

Fairwork is implementing each set of principles with selected platforms across 38 countries. We do this by collecting evidence that would help us assess whether these platforms are acting in accordance with the five Fairwork principles. See further details on our research methodology.

For more information on the project and the principles, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

Principle 1. Fair Pay

Workers, irrespective of their employment classification, should earn a decent income in their home jurisdiction after taking account of work-related costs and active hours worked. They should be paid on time, and for all work completed.

Principle 2. Fair conditions

Platforms should have policies in place to protect workers from foundational risks arising from the processes of work, and should take proactive measures to protect and promote the health and safety of workers.

Principle 3. Fair contracts

Terms and conditions should be transparent, concise, and always accessible to workers. The party contracting with the worker must be subject to local law and must be identified in the contract. Workers are notified of proposed changes in a reasonable timeframe before changes come into effect. The contract is free of clauses which unreasonably exclude liability on the part of the platform, and which prevent workers from seeking redress for grievances. Contracts should be consistent with the terms of workers’ engagement on the platform.

Principle 4. Fair Management

There should be a documented due process for decisions affecting workers. Workers must have the ability to appeal decisions affecting them, such as disciplinary actions and deactivation, and be informed of the reasons behind those decisions. The use of algorithms is transparent and results in equitable outcomes for workers. There should be an identifiable and documented policy that ensures equity in the way workers are managed on a platform (for example, in the hiring, disciplining, or firing of workers).

Principle 5. Fair Representation

Platforms should provide a documented process through which worker voice can be expressed. Irrespective of their employment classification, workers have the right to organise in collective bodies, and platforms should be prepared to cooperate and negotiate with them.

These five principles are applicable to all types of work, regardless of whether workers are classified as employees or independent contractors, and regardless of where and how they work.