"Hire" v. "Contract with You"

From the big media folks at CNN, this piece lists a number of legitimate companies that routinely employ home-based workers. It's a nice alternative to the multi-level marketing malarkey that passes for jobs on many pro-telecommuting sites. But my research shows that in fact many of these companies don't actually hire home-based workers. Most enter into independent contracting relationships with people who are then personally responsible for supplying their own computer equipment and handling their own taxes and whatnots. You might as well be a freelancer.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

But I think it's a far cry from the real telecommuter-friendly places that hire real employees (with real benefits) and empower them to work from wherever they may be. Maybe Stella is timid, but I like having a real job with all the perquisites that go with it.