If Covid has made working from home our new normal, your boss and Uncle Sam should chip in

December 3, 2020

Working remotely isn’t new, but the United States has never seen it at its current scale. The shift can benefit workers as well as employers and society at large — but there can also be costs. When those costs are financial, it’s important that the employer or the government covers the bill for remote workers.

As of October, just over 32 million Americans, or one-fifth, reported telework due to the pandemic, almost three-quarters between the ages of 25 and 54.

Prior to the pandemic, approximately 12 percent of the U.S. workforce worked from home for at least one full day per month. Although not directly comparable, as of October, about 32 million Americans, or one-fifth, reported telework due to the pandemic, and almost three-quarters of those workers are between the ages of 25 and 54. The shift might have been inspired by the coronavirus, but it’s almost certainly something this cohort should be prepared for going forward.

Op-ed by William Rodgers, NBC News, November 30, 2020

Recent Posts

New Publication from Payne: Digital Twin or Digital Kin?

Digital Twin or Digital Kin: Misunderstandings and Myths about Urban Simulation, and Directions for Change Abstract Using three case studies from the United States and Australia, this article explores the conditions required to make urban digital twin projects...

Prof. Clint Andrews Receives IEEE PES Robert Noberini Award

On July 29, 2025, Professor Clint Andrews received the IEEE PES Robert Noberini Distinguished Contributions to Power Engineering Professionalism Award. The award was established to honor PES members in the power engineering profession for long-term dedicated effort...

Heldrich Report Examines Effect of New Jersey TAG Program

Researchers from the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development analyzed the impact of financial aid on student success. A new report, Building a Comparison Group for Tuition Aid Grant Recipients Using the New Jersey Statewide Data System, examines the effect of the...

NJSPL: Report of Child Well-Being in New Jersey

by Angie Nga Le The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its 36th Kids Count Data Book, providing updated insights into the well-being of children in New Jersey and across the nation[1]. The report assesses child well-being in all 50 states using 16 key indicators...

Elizabeth (Libby) Vinson (MPAP ’02) Named CEO of NJACP

From New Jersey Business Magazine, July 15, 2025 Vinson Named CEO of NJ Association of Community Providers The New Jersey Association of Community Providers (NJACP), Ewing, the statewide not-for-profit organization that represents community-based providers who care...