ABTA is to relax its rules to allow for the growing number of homeworkers in the industry.
Under its Articles of Association, members are not allowed to have self-employed staff.
But now that around 100 of ABTA’s 1,500 members have homeworkers, it has decided to adapt its membership criteria.
A spokesman said the rules would be changed at the next Annual General Meeting, but said in the meantime ABTA would not take action against these companies.
“When our Articles of Association were drawn up homeworkers were very few and far between, but now it is quite common,” he said.
“Technically, all staff must be on the pay role, but it has been decided that we are not going to enforce this by going out and auditing people.
“All changes, however, have to be approved at the AGM and we have just missed it, so next April it will be put to the board.”
He said members must provide ABTA with the names and addresses of homeworkers, and homeworkers themselves must also have at least two years experience and undergo the training required under its membership rules.
By Bev Fearis
