Yes. You can’t police it, of course, but you can require it.
@eyemamom My company provides a laptop and second monitor, I added a third at my own expense. In the interview process we are asked about having an quiet and private office space- it is important to not have disruptions while on the phone (kids, dogs, etc.) I would think that you can’t specifically ask about children as that would be an inappropriate job question-- but asking about having a non-disrupted work environment is appropriate.
Eyemom, I recommend asking your attorney to review the contract to make sure the terms such as child care requirements are not in violation of some local law.
This web page has some good ideas of what the contract might look like:
http://www.shrm.org/templatestools/samples/policies/pages/cms_000573.aspx
^^Sorry, could not edit!! It should have said “what other terms the contract might include”.
I work at home a couple of days a week. I use the same laptop that I use in the office, so my employer pays for that. They also gave me a second monitor. They set up a VPN, but I pay for internet access.
At another company, you have to certify that you are not using work at home as a substitute for child care.
Hewlett Packard has a very large remote work force. They would provide training on appropriate work practices. I think one of the key things to consider is conference calls or Skype type video meetings. It is extremely distracting if there are sudden noises in the background such as dogs barking, kids screaming, music, etc. It would help to set up policies for remote work expectations.
My company has it as part of the rules one agrees to in order to work virtual. Working from home is not a substitute for childcare. You’re employed and expected to be working, not bugging off to play with your child. It’s grounds for disciplinary action.
My company will provide the computing assets needed - dual monitors, laptop, docking station, etc. they are all tagged and they will prosecute if not returned. Company work cannot be done on a personal computer - security, proprietary info and all that. All normal work rules apply. Since the work I do is on a government contract, I can be fired for improper labor charging or misuse of assets and information.
while I know 2 people who work from home “remotely” one in computers and the other accounting (sometimes on site but lot’s of remote work too)…both highly disciplined people! I personally frown on it for many people! there are several reasons…one of course is discipline…work at home is work at home…many people do not have the discipline to do it…if you do have the ability to remain focused at home…big amen for you! the other issue is you are out of the loop at work and depending on what you do that can be an issue.
as far as internet access I would gladly pay for it myself (I already have high speed internet at home and it is not terribly expensive) and avoiding a commute I would gladly absorb the cost of high speed internet (which I already pay for)
I did know another person who worked from home and his office was next to the laundry machine.(as you can imagine his partner may not have respected his work space while he was working) …yes boss, my lovely wife is not working today and is running the laundry machine and dryer…let me call you back in an hour.
At my company, large multinatl fortune 500 type, everything is done by webex or conference call - everyone scattered
around the country, sometimes globe so the whole concept of workplace has changed. There are work deliverables and whether I am getting it done at home or in a cube, noone cares. As far
as distractions at home - kids, pets, laundry, yeah it happens, same thing at the office - bank errands, dr appts, getting stuck at the printer or coffee machine with the office gossip. Our entire bldg is being asked to work from home for 8 wks starting next month for a bldg redesign…fine with me because cutting out the commute makes me more productive not less. And my laundry gets done too!
I recently took a part-time job as a traveling social worker and use my home as my base office. This was an incredible opportunity for me in that I make my own schedule so I’m able to supplement my #1 job with ease. My home is just 3 miles from my first job so there’s no commute from one job to the other, thus no time lost in travel. In the 24 hour position I am on the road about 15 hours a week, spend another 4-5 in meetings (conference calls from either my home office or the satellite office which is 10 miles away) and the remaining time on the phone making appointments or typing file notes after visits. Basically I’m able to work 54 hrs a week over just five days. I always plan to be home for the last hour or two to put dinner in the oven or a load of laundry in while I type up notes, etc. I use my own computer and supplies (but its not much) but the company provides a cellphone and tablet.
Each year, first quarter, I work from home, on a huge, time-dependent project. I like it, but honestly, I grumble. I usually end up working long days, into the wee hours, weekends. It’s nice to know I can skip out, meet someone for coffee, whatever, but the demand is constant (friends and family know to count on little from me, during this period.) Frankly, after Christmas, when the weather is bad, is just when I’d prefer to do a house project, up my volunteer hours, cook for friends and family, hunker down with some good books, etc. I really get the comment about the laundry sitting in the washer.
I have one of their laptops, access into the VPN and then the protected database. Sometimes, when I log in in the middle of the night, I can tell a number of us are up and working. It can sound so great to work from home, but you have to consider the cycle, know how to pace yourself, and get out of time-robbing jams (anything from a network hiccup to, say, my recent plumbing leak.) Arghh.
What I’ve sometimes seen is the employer request you have a dedicated work space (which can have a flexible definition.) And, we have to promise confidentiality (or even the risk someone could look over our shoulders,) which means no kids wandering in and out, no working at the local coffee shop. If I were to quit, they’d have my passwords down in ten minutes (a small individual employer might not be able to react so quickly, something to consider.)
I appreciate all the feedback. The job I’m considering going remotely is medical billing. I’d probably pay per claim with a few conditions of errors and timeliness of getting the files done.
I have to look into the difference between employee and independent contractor, and if I’m comfortable with the idea of medical records being viewed by non employees. I know it’s done now. I’m still thinking through how to train on the software.
Be careful about independent contractor, which has fed guidelines but can also be affected by state policy. In essence, if you tell them how to accomplish the tasks, they aren’t truly “independent.” I dealt with this twice.
http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/flsa/docs/contractors.asp
my rule of thumb…if you have any doubt what the persons status is they are an employee. you should not try to save money and risk a violation. they can be very costly. if you go the independent route, check with both your cpa and employment attorney. always better safe than sorry!