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Home-Based Workers: 2019-2021

Written by:
Report Number P70BR-184

Introduction

Home-based work has long played a role in the functioning of the U.S. economy. The initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic provided a new catalyst for the expansion of home-based work, as the initial push for social distancing compelled many people to work from home. According to the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), the percentage of U.S. jobs worked on-site or “in person” decreased by roughly 10 percentage points between 2019 and 2021, from about 84 percent to 74 percent of all jobs. The expansion of working from home since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed how U.S. workers relate to their jobs and workplaces. Because the SIPP collects uniquely detailed information about respondents’ jobs, it is particularly well-suited to describe changes in home-based work. This brief will identify overall trends in home-based work, including the share of jobs worked on-site, at home, and a mix of both. It will go on to present key work schedule characteristics associated with each type of job, and will close with an outline of how type of job varies by class of work, industry, and occupation. 

Page Last Revised - October 19, 2023
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