More Americans working at home

<p>WASHINGTON – More Americans are working at home, and it’s not just those who telecommute or are self-employed. U.S. Department of Labor 2001 Current Population Survey (CPS) data show: Half of those who usually worked at home were wage and salary workers who took work home from their job on an unpaid basis. Another 17% had a formal agreement with their employer to be paid for the work they did at home. About 30% were self-employed. Wage and salary workers who were paid to work at home worked there an average 18 hours per week; those who just took work home from the job but weren’t paid, worked a weekly average of about seven hours at home; Four-fifths of those who regularly worked at home were employed in managerial, professional, and sales jobs; About eight out of 10 people used a computer for the work they did at home, and about six in 10 used the Internet or email. Two-third of those who worked at home said they did so to “finish or catch up on work” or because it is the “nature of the job.”</p>