Injured Hong Kong delivery rider seeks full trial on employment status question

A former Deliveroo rider sustained severe brain injuries in a traffic accident in Hong Kong, now seeking full compensation through the legal system. Deliveroo's Hong Kong liquidator attempted to dismiss Lok Sze-chu's lawsuit, arguing that the rider only provided a "bare assertion" to support his claim of being an employee entitled to compensation.

Despite Deliveroo's exit from the Hong Kong market in April 2025, Lok continued legal proceedings to determine how an employment relationship between the platform and freelance workers should be recognized. If recognized as an employee, Lok would qualify for statutory compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, potentially receiving a higher payout than his current personal accident insurance claim.

The actual amount Lok sought was not disclosed in court. Hong Kong labour law stipulates that workers experiencing temporary incapacity are entitled to "work injury sick leave pay" for up to two years, equal to 80 per cent of their monthly salary at the time of the accident. In his arguments, Deliveroo's counsel asserted that the platform's app permitted workers to log on and off as they pleased, with no obligation to accept orders.

The liquidator claimed that Lok himself agreed to this arrangement upon signing up for work, and that he had "abused the process" by challenging his employment status two years after the accident. However, Lok's lawyer argued that given the specifics of the case, the disputes should be resolved through a full trial. District Judge Phillis Loh Lai-ping acknowledged that the principle of employment status is highly fact-sensitive and that each case's circumstances vary. She reserved her judgment, with a ruling expected within six months.