Just 29% of Americans Can Work Remotely, Leaving 100 Million in Virus Limbo
As U.S. companies rush to prepare for the coronavirus, there’s millions of employees who can’t work from home and lack sufficient paid leave.
With coronavirus cases spreading in the U.S., lawmakers and companies are grappling with whether to urge more workers to log in from home—and what to do for those employees who only get paid if they show up at their workplaces.
About 42 million of 144 million U.S. workers could do their jobs at home in 2018, or just 29% of the workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the rest, particularly people of color and low-paid hourly workers, there are few options and even fewer benefits. About a quarter of Americans lack paid time off, and the percentage is much higher among the industries with few options for remote work, including retailers and transportation.