Karla Grossenbacher Published in Employment Law Strategist "Managing the Risks of Telecommuting"

Karla Grossenbacher's article, “Managing the Risks of Telecommuting," was published in the July 2008 issue of Employment Law Strategist.  In her article, Karla discusses legal concerns employers face when allowing employees to telecommute.

Karla explains that a "prudent employer will enter into written agreements with its telecommuting employees," which is separate from a general employment agreement.  She goes on to outline the various issues an employer should be aware of, such as addressing hours of work and the manner the employee records time and ensuring each telecommuter agreement is separate and individually tailored to avoid future class actions. She also discusses, among other matters, the importance of establishing "at-home security measures that the employee will take to secure company information and prevent unauthorized access to company information and systems."

She concludes that, "Telecommuting can be a great benefit to both the employer and the employee…. [h]owever, employers should be careful to document the respective rights and obligations of the employer and employee in a telecommuting agreement."