Announcements by Ford Motor Co. and Delta Air Lines that they will provide computers and Internet access to all their workers at home will blur the line between work and home for many more employees. This particular employee benefit is also likely to add fuel to the fire ignited last January by a quickly withdrawn pronouncement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that it was going to hold employers responsible for the safety of workers who work in home offices.
Although many professionals have telecommuted for years, Ford and Delta intend to make this benefit available to every employee. This new perquisite is expected to streamline communications with employees, as well as boost their morale. Whether the provision of computers will be deemed an extension of the workplace subject to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. �� 651-678, may depend on both how voluntary the participation in the new benefit is, as well as the nature of the uses to which the employees put their new computers. Both companies are offering the computers as an option, not a requirement.
