Law

The Cost of My Time

Ascription is an anathema to any enthusiasm points to an excellent post on commuting as a means of shifting the costs of shopping or working to me. While I'd rather not increase those costs, we are considering moving further upstate. Perhaps if my employer realized the costs of commuting, then we could work from home.

If, as I'll argue below, most travel should be regarded as being in the same economic category as working and if, as the stats linked above imply, Americans spend about twice as much time travelling as Australians, then reducing travel times to the Australian level would be equivalent to a productivity improvement of between 12 and 15 per cent.

Here's a pair of hypothetical questions.

Suppose someone working at home were to take a shower, slip, and fall. Would that person, falling in their shower, at their house, while allegedly working from home, be entitled to compensation from the employer for the injury?

Suppose someone driving safely to work, slides on the ice, and crashes into a tree. Would that person be entitled to compensation from the employer for the injury?

In which of the two cases is the individual really on their own time?

5:38:34 PM # Google It!
categories: Law, Place