SUPREME Court justices are set to consider whether Uber drivers should be classed as "workers" entitled to the minimum wage, or independent third-party contractors.
Uber operating companies have appealed to the Supreme Court after losing three rounds of a fight with drivers.
Seven justices are due to begin overseeing a virtual Supreme Court two-day hearing on Tuesday.
Uber rides are booked through a smartphone app, which connects passengers to drivers.
Drivers say they are "workers" entitled to the minimum wage, paid leave and other legal protections.
Uber companies say drivers are "independent, third party contractors", not "workers".
An employment tribunal ruled in 2016 that Uber drivers were workers entitled to workers' rights.
That ruling was upheld by an employment appeal tribunal, and by Court of Appeal judges.
Supreme Court justices have been asked to decide whether drivers are "workers" and, if they are "workers", what periods constituted their "working time".
They are not expected to deliver a ruling until later in the year.
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A law firm, enlisted by trade union GMB to represent Uber drivers, says drivers will be entitled to compensation for lost pay if Uber loses in the Supreme Court.
Leigh Day says it thinks tens of thousands of Uber drivers could be entitled to an average of £12,000 each.
"Uber is soon going to reach the end of the road in its fight to stop its drivers being given workers' rights," said lawyer Nigel Mackay, who is based at Leigh Day.
"If Uber loses, it will have no other option but to compensate those drivers who have brought claims for failures to provide holiday pay and where the company has paid them below the minimum wage.
"Now more than ever we have seen how difficult it can be for Uber drivers, many of whom have put themselves at risk by continuing to drive during the lockdown for those who need them for essential journeys.
"Yet Uber continues to deny its drivers basic workers' rights.
"We believe that it's clear from the way Uber operates that its drivers should be given workers' rights. From the amount of control it exerts over them, to the ratings system is uses to assess performance."
He added: "These circumstances all point to Uber drivers being workers."
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