Academics win claim against Oxford University over ‘sham contracts’

Rebecca Abrams and Alice Jolly claimed they were denied important workplace rights for 15 years

Two academics who sued Oxford University for employing them on “sham contracts” as gig economy workers, have won their claim for employee status in a ruling which could have implications for other higher education workers on precarious contracts.

Rebecca Abrams and Alice Jolly, both respected authors, taught on Oxford’s prestigious creative writing course for 15 years, but were employed on fixed-term “personal services” contracts which they claimed denied them important workplace rights.