This article presents general information from two regional studies about the types and prevalence of home-based work and its impact on communities and Extension programming. Continuum Four dimensions provide a general understanding of home-based work. The relationship of the workers to their clients, the first dimension, can be described on a continuum. At one end are employees of an organization permitted to work at home. At the opposite end are the self-employed or businessowners.
Independent contractors are in the middle of the continuum.
They sell their products or services to clients. Where Work Done The second dimension of home work establishes where the actual work is done. The third dimension is the motivation for working at home. Families who need a temporary or permanent income to meet current expenses and can't afford child care or commuting expenses form another group of home-based workers. Other workers may want to change a hobby into a business or work at home during the start-up phase of a small business.