Understanding the Impact of Telecommuters on Employment Law

Developers who work remotely are part of an increasingly growing trend in telecommuting in the US. Whether it is from their own home or a coffee shop, an increasing number of employees are choosing to work from outside of the office.  

A prevalent theory is that those who work from home generally put in more hours of work each day and employees can be more productive than they would be in the office. Studies show that businesses lose around $600 billion a year on workplace distractions and over two-thirds of employers report increased productivity among their telecommuters 

With the expansive growth in telecommuting, companies are finding it necessary to implement new rules and regulations to bind over these new changes. Generally, only salary-based employees get the opportunity to telecommute because hourly workers can log unnecessary overtime work. Recent reports also show that hiring virtual employers greatly reduces the potential for discrimination because potential employees are judged by what their work styles versus what they look like. 

To learn more about telecommuting and the new regulations that employers are applying check out this infographic created by Champlain College’s online Masters in Law degree program.