Definition: Outworker

Category: ILO terminology

Outworkers are workers who: (a) hold explicit or implicit contracts of employment under which they agree to work for a particular enterprise, or to supply a certain quantity of goods or services to a particular enterprise, by prior arrangement or contract with that enterprise; but (b) whose place of work is not within any of the establishments which make up that enterprise. These workers may be classified as being in "paid employment" or in "self-employment" according to the specific terms of their contract. They may be classified as "employers" if they engage other workers on terms as described under "Employers". http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/ramon/coded_files/icse_1993_en.pdf