Remote Work vs. Telework - What's the Difference? | Remote Work Guide (2024)

FAQs

Remote Work vs. Telework - What's the Difference? | Remote Work Guide? ›

For remote workers, the remote work location is their official duty station (e.g., their home). For teleworkers, their official duty station is the agency worksite (e.g., Main Interior Building), as they are expected to report to the agency worksite at the minimum, two full workdays per biweekly pay period.

A teleworker's official duty station will be the agency home office. A remote worker's official duty station will be their home (or other approved alternate location).

A remote job in the federal government is one where you are not expected to report to an official agency worksite regularly.

Working from home means you have a home office setup.

Working from home is a type of working remotely, is what I'd say here in order to differentiate that working from home means you have a home office setup, specifically. Working remotely might mean you are working from “anywhere,” which is a broad term!

Many federal jobs offer the option to work from home and from an office location. Sometimes this is referred to as a hybrid schedule or hybrid work, but the federal government calls this telework. How often you are required to report to an office depends on the agency and the job duties.

As stated earlier, there are two general types of telework: regular and situational. Regular telework is also referred to as recurring telework, because it occurs on a regularly scheduled basis.

Remote work is the practice of employees doing their jobs from a location other than a central office operated by the employer. Such locations could include an employee's home, a co-working or other shared space, a private office, or any other place outside of the traditional corporate office building or campus.

Jobs that can be done from anywhere in the world are usually fully remote positions that allow you to work from home—or wherever you choose.

Remote positions

In this case, a team will work mainly from the office, with one or two roles being performed off-site. The name for these roles is 'remote positions,' meaning they are not needed in the office. An example of a remote position is a Virtual Assistant.

A hybrid job means that you will work partially in the office and partially remotely. This setup offers the flexibility of working from home for some days and being physically present at the office for others. It can balance the convenience of remote work and the collaborative benefits of in-person interaction.

Why are employers against telework? ›

A few factors are likely at play: The reason most often cited is that some employers have blind faith that physical proximity increases output. They insist that our best work is done in person. The hard truth is that we do not know to what extent being in person improves our productivity.

The legislation limits telework usage to 40% of the work days in any given pay period, with exceptions in cases where the employee is a military or federal law enforcement spouse or if a federal position requires “highly specialized expertise,” frequent travel or difficult to recruit for.

That means they are subject to the same federal and state laws regarding wages, overtime, breaks, and paid time off. If you work for an employer based in a different state, your rights as a remote worker are generally determined by the laws in the state where you reside.

These concepts are often used as synonyms but are actually very different. For example, the home office is usually applied sporadically, but remote is a permanent system (as long as the agreed expectations are met). But there are other features that make the difference between working from home and teleworking.

Remote work provides the freedom to work from anywhere that the company is legally authorized for employment. Virtual work takes it a step further by eliminating the traditional office entirely.

The debate between remote work and office work depends on the job's nature, employees' needs, and company goals. Remote work offers flexibility, increased work-life balance, and cost savings for employees and employers. In contrast, office work fosters direct collaboration and provides a structured environment.

Can an Employer Dictate Where You Work Remotely? Yes. Due to state laws that the employer is subject to, the employer can dictate where you're able to work.