Alone and At Risk

Technically if you have a telecommuting employee who works from home or another non-office location, you’re still liable for their injuries as the employer. Of course, the burden of proof is on the employee, and these types of situations can get tricky fast. Obviously as an employer, you can’t be sure of what your employees are up to 100% of the time, but particularly when an employee works from home you may feel entirely powerless. However, there are a number of concrete actions you can take in order to ensure a healthier and safer employee.

It will inevitably be the point where you start thinking that you can be entirely hands-off when disaster is sure to follow. This is frustrating because your employees enjoy the freedom and autonomy of working on their own, but can become annoyed if they think they’re being ignored. The best way to hit a better balance is to take what you already know and then experiment from there. It may also help to visit their space either physically or virtually. This way you can see how they’re operating, make suggestions and document your continued interest in their well-being. You won’t know exactly how they operate at all times, but you can get a sense of their level of responsibility to their home when they interface with you. Also, check in with your employees. It doesn’t have to be a heart-to-heart conversation, but ask them how they’re getting along. Some people work well on their own, but others don’t. You want your employees to have a certain level of job satisfaction to get the most productivity out of them, and coming up with solutions now can be your best way to avoid problems in the future. The good news is that new studies (http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2015/01/people-who-work-from-home-get-more-done.html) suggest that people can often stay focused more at home than in an office.

You should have policies freely distributed that comply with your state’s regulations. Every employee should have easy access to safe practices when working. Also, they’ll need a set schedule since they could be using the same room/equipment during non-working hours, and if they injure themselves during those times they may try to blame it on you. Regardless of when you need the work by, make sure that they know when their breaks, lunch and working day starts and ends. To a court, their hazards look like your hazards, so ensure that your employee understands what’s expected of them. If you start to feel as though they aren’t being careful in their work or the social isolation is distracting them, make the change before it’s too late.