A workforce that adheres to a traditional work style, or a
consistent eight-hour workday in the same location –
with no offsite work or interaction with business colleagues
or customers – is increasingly becoming a relic in many
settings. Whether at a coffee house, commuter train, airport
lounge, or soccer field, transactions, communications, and
decisions take place on a range of devices away from the
brick-and-mortar jobsite.
While there may be many practical advantages for companies
considering implementing flexible work, employers should be
cognizant of whether telework will be a good fit for their company
culture and the needs of their market or audience. In addition
to these practical considerations, employers should also
consider how agile work and employee requests to work from home
implicate obligations under employment laws –
specifically the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other
non-discrimination laws.
