Germany could ban subcontracted employment for food couriers

Subcontracted employment at food delivery apps in Germany is on the rise, and couriers report miserable conditions. Federal Labour Minister Bärbel Bas has said the government will review whether apps can be legally obliged to employ couriers directly.

German government to review delivery app subcontracting laws

Federal Labour Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) has said the German government will review the employment law, which allows food delivery platforms to employ workers through subcontractors.

Bas hopes the review will clarify whether the government can require food delivery apps to employ couriers directly. Workers employed directly as couriers receive the usual benefits associated with an employment contract, like entitlement to the legal minimum wage, social security contributions, health and safety provisions, and the right to collective bargaining.

According to a July 2025 report from Fairwork Germany, couriers employed through subcontractors are “often not provided with any health and safety contributions, or covered by any insurance when working, and often had to use their own equipment (or rent the equipment for a fee)”. Some work with no contract, or are employed on a part-time contract and paid cash in hand for additional hours.

Bas says both German constitutional law and European Union legislation present certain hurdles, but the minister has received support from federal state governments. At the Conference of Labour and Social Ministers (ASMK) at the end of November, ministers representing 12 federal states voted in favour of a legislation review. 

700 Berlin couriers threatened by subcontractors

According to an investigation from rbb, not only are subcontracted employees working in poor conditions, but they are also subject to threats from subcontractors.

In January 2025, more than 700 Uber Eats couriers organised in a WhatsApp group and agreed to “strike” for two days, demanding better pay. Subcontractors responded with threats. According to a recording heard by rbb24 Recherche, a subcontractor asked couriers to send photos of strike organisers and told them he would “show them what mafia is”.

One of the couriers who was central to organising the strike was then beaten and had to receive treatment in hospital. Responding to the rbb report, Uber Eats said the “described practices” were “clearly unacceptable" and that the international company had ended relations with the subcontractor in question.