Checklist For Home Based Worker

Working from home is becoming a popular arrangement for workers as well as employers. It allows for greater flexibility and balance between work and personal needs.

When is home-based work appropriate?
Work that involves a high degree of individual autonomy and independence is most suitable for a home-based working arrangement. For example:

Project work Research Report writing Policy development and analysis Systems design and development

Generally home-based employment is not suitable for jobs that: -

Require a high degree of supervision or close scrutiny Require direct face to face contact with other staff, students or public relations Do not lend themselves to objective performance monitoring Require the occupant to be a member of a team with regular face to face contact on a daily basis with other team members.

A checklist of issues for employers & workers to consider:

1. Establish whether the duties are suitable for work from home
Some jobs can be done safely by a person working from home. Some jobs can only be done safely by using special equipment or by following working procedures which are not appropriate for home based work.

2. Establish that the proposed working environment is healthy and safe

3. Establish that the person who will be working from home has the information and training necessary to do the work safely

4. Establish agreed hours of work and communication procedures
Establish the days and hours on which work from home can be done and agree on procedures for recording work hours, including actual starting and finishing times, which is important for compensation purposes.

5. Other considerations
Other issues that may need to be considered when introducing work from home arrangements include enterprise arrangements include enterprise agreement or industrial award provisions, tax, mortgage and/or lease arrangements.