Is Working from Home for Everyone?

   With the rising cost of things like gasoline and child care, many Americans are considering the change from a traditional nine to five job to working from the comfort at home. While sipping coffee in your pj’s and foregoing the fight with rush hour traffic may appeal to most workers, working at home is not something that everyone is cut out for. In fact, there are pros and cons of the decision that many fail to consider when making the decision.

   1. Some jobs and industries can’t work from home. While office and sales professionals may have a fairly easy time working from home, some jobs simply can’t be accomplished in a home environment . Jobs especially in the medical and scientific fields due to the technology and equipment that are needed are next to impossible to endeavor outside of a laboratory or hospital setting. So, unless you are in an industry that is home-friendly or are willing to change career paths, working from home may not be an option.

   2. Most work-at-home positions are contractual jobs or business opportunities, which makes you self-employed. Being self-employed is not always a bad thing! Certainly there are tax breaks, such as the ability to deduct the expenses of your home office. However, self-employed folks often pay more taxes and have to incur other costs such as healthcare that a traditional employer would provide. Be sure that working from home will be the same amount of money (if not more) than the job your leaving, or that you can afford a reduction in pay.