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New Federal Incentives for Telecommuting

© Leslie Truex

Rep. Frank Wolf, R-VA sponsored a bill recently signed into law by President Clinton that gives five U.S. metro areas federal incentives for encouraging telecommuting. It is hoped that the program will not only reduce pollution but also reduce congestion and expenses related to road maintenance. The five cities chosen for the pilot program developed by the National Environmental Policy Institute, the Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy are Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston and Chicago.

The plan allows employers with a set percentage of workers who telecommute to earn "pollution credits" that can be sold as a commodity to utilities and manufacturers. Although the value has yet to be decided, it is estimated that each credit will be worth thousands of dollars.

The program offers yet another benefit to telecommuting for employers to consider. Indeed, back in October research conducted by AT&T, a pioneer in telecommuting, indicated that employers allowing employees to work at home could save $10,000 per teleworker! These new incentives should further the acceptance of telecommuting by companies as it provides another financial benefit to allowing employees to work at home.

For more information about telecommuting and how to find a work-at-home job, visit .

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