FAQs

If you have a question not answered here, please send an email to info@teleworkaustralia.net.au to ask a question. You could also join the Discussion Forum: other teleworkers and experts might have the answer you need.

Q: I want to telework. Where do I start?
A: Establishing a personal telework arrangement might require considerable research and discussion. You should first confirm that your partner and family or those you live with would be happy with the idea. Next, find out what your manager will think about you working off-site occasionally. If your manager is relaxed about it, you might be able to start teleworking immediately. If your manager is not comfortable about teleworkers, try to identify the main obstacles and start working to overcome them. For detailed guidance go to the section on telework for individuals.

Q: Where can I find a job as a teleworker?
A: You can’t find a job as a teleworker: telework is not a job, it is a way of doing a job. Many jobs can be teleworked. To find a job as a teleworker you must find a suitable job and then see whether you can do it as a teleworker. In some cases, it might be hard to get an appropriate job and you might have to start your own business and market your services to employers who offer telework as a flexible working arrangement for staff.

Q: What technology should an organisation have in place to telework?
A: The actual technology needed will vary considerably. Normally, however, an organisation should have a telephone system that can divert calls to off-site numbers and a computer network that allows off-site workers to access network information and files. More information is available in the Information and Communications Technology section of this site.

Q: Who should pay for a home office computer and broadband connection?
A: As telework provides benefits to both the employer and the employee, it is normal for the costs to be shared as well. The balance is different in most telework programs but, generally, the organisation should pay for work-related equipment and the employee should pay for everything else. For a home-based teleworker, for example, the employee usually pays for the office furniture and power and the employer pays for the computer and a share of the broadband connection.

Q: Is a formal telework policy necessary? We are a small organisation with only a few possible teleworkers.
A: Formal telework policies and guidelines can help overcome many possible issues around telework but, in smaller companies, many of these issues might not be important. It is recommended that you organise an organisation or team meeting to discuss the telework option and see what all staff think about telework. If there are issues you need to think about, perhaps a formal implementation process should still be followed. Further guidance is provided in the Better Practice Guidelines section of this site. Even if you decide not to set up a formal telework policy with its associated guidelines and other forms, you should check the guidance provided in case there are issues that might have been overlooked.

Q: How can an organisation overcome the security threats of having workers based away from the office?
A: Employers should have already conducted a full risk analysis to assess all the threats to the organisation’s security. The measures that are taken to protect the organisation’s data and personnel under conventional work arrangements should also be applied to data and personnel that are located remotely. Where specific processes must be followed before hard copies of files are released, the same processes should be followed by teleworkers.

Sometimes, it will be difficult to replicate traditional security measures in the telework environment—without major expense. Should this be the case, the risks should be reassessed: is the home office such a significant risk? If it is, can the costs of the additional security be accommodated within the cost-benefit analysis? (It’s worth noting that most of the major security breaches that have been reported in recent years have involved traditional office-based employees: not teleworkers.)

Q: Who is responsible for insurance of work equipment used by teleworkers?
A: The organisation’s insurance policy should already cover the use of organisation equipment, regardless of where it is located. For example, organisation cars, portable computers and mobile phones should already be covered. Equipment used in the home office should be covered under the same policies. Check with your insurer.

For the individual, household contents insurance policies will already cover most possible risks. Some insurers, however, will need to know if the home is being used as an office. (It should not make much difference to the premium as home security can be improved by having someone there more often.) Check with your insurer.

Q: Are there tax implications from teleworking?
A: For the organisation, the only possible issue could be an increase in Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) obligations. Although equipment such as mobile phones, portable computers, etc. is normally considered exempt from FBT, you should check with the Australian Taxation Office (www.ato.gov.au).

For individual teleworkers, their taxation obligations will not change: they remain an employee and cannot normally claim any expenses associated with the home office. (Self-employed people based at home may be able to claim these expenses.) However, it may be possible to claim some other expenses, such as additional dependent care costs, if applicable. Check with your financial adviser or the Australian Taxation Office (www.ato.gov.au). Additional information is available at http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/content.asp?doc=/content/33089.htm.