Over 100 interpreters and translators join workers’ rights legal claim against agency Dals (Formerly known as DA Languages)

Law firm Leigh Day represents more than 100 interpreters and translators who are currently classed as self-employed independent contractors. The claimants believe that practices such as DA Languages fixing rates of pay, controlling the volumes and types of job available to individuals, regulating how interpreting and translating is performed and imposing fines when interpreters cannot attend a job are reflective of a relationship closer to that of employer and employee, than self-employed independent contractor and customer. Consequently, it is argued that interpreters and translators for DA Languages fulfil the definition of a ‘worker’ in Section 230(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996. If the Employment Tribunal accepts this, claimants will be afforded important statutory rights such as rights to holiday pay and the National Minimum Wage.

Leigh Day is encouraged by case law that indicates that, even where contracts categorise claimants as self-employed independent contractors, courts will look beyond this and carefully examine the reality of claimants’ work arrangements. A good example of this is the Supreme Court judgment in the case of Uber, where Justices focused on the degree of control Uber exerts over its drivers, resulting in a landmark victory for Uber drivers and workers’ rights.

Should the claim be successful, Leigh Day estimates that claimants who have worked full-time at the agency for two years could be entitled to more than £10,000 in compensation.

The first Employment Tribunal claims were presented for claimants in February 2023. We are continuing to submit claims to the Employment Tribunal.

A final worker status hearing, which will determine whether interpreters and translators for DA Languages are workers or self-employed independent contractors, has been listed to take place between 19 January and 6 February 2026. We have a preliminary hearing on 20 January 2025 to determine what is needed from each side for the substantive worker status hearing in January 2026.

This claim is one of many worker status actions brought by Leigh Day against companies operating in the ‘gig economy’, such as TheBigWord, Addison Lee, Bolt and Veezu.

Leigh Day solicitor Sam Velody, a solicitor in the employment team, said:

"Leigh Day has been representing interpreters and translators working for DA Languages for just a few months and already more than 80 have signed up to the claim which just goes to show the strength of feeling that interpreters and translators have about their legal rights.