An Post and postmasters in row over employment status

Ireland’s 861 postmasters function as self-employed workers under a contract with An Post for the operation of each individual post office. File picture Denis Minihane

A number of Irish postmasters have claimed they are the subject of bogus self employment after being confirmed as de facto employees by the Department of Social Protection.

Recently, 10 postmasters approached the department’s employment status section Scope querying their social insurance status and were informed that no investigation of their status would be necessary given they already pay PRSI class A – that payable to people performing a ‘contract of service’, that is a typical employer-employee relationship.