DEAR JOYCE: Can you state the advantages of telecommuting that I can use to persuade my employer to let me work from home? - H.J.H.

Here are eight arguments to offer, thanks to Kate Lister and Tom Harnish, authors of "Undress for Success: The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home" (Wiley, 2009).

(1) More than two-thirds of surveyed employers report increased productivity among their telecommuters -- as much as 35 percent more productivity at some high-profile companies such as American Express and Best Buy.

(2) Teleworkers typically continue to work when they're sick without infecting others, especially important in flu pandemics.

(3) Flexible hours allow teleworkers to run errands or schedule appointments without losing a full day.

(4) Two-thirds of employees would take another job to ease the commute.

(5) About 78 percent of employees who call in sick are not really sick. They do so because of family issues, personal needs and stress. The American Management Association found that organizations with a telework program experienced a 63 percent reduction in unscheduled absences. Unscheduled absences annually cost employers $1,800 per employee.

(6) A poll of 1,500 technology professionals revealed that 37 percent would take a pay cut of 10 percent if they could work from home.

(7) Some 80 percent of employees consider telework a job perk.

(8) Average real estate savings with full-time telework is $10,000 per employee per year.

The opening step for someone who wants to bring the current job home is the preparation of a well-researched proposal, a task made easier through online search. Target your proposal to provide answers to your employer's key concerns, such as assessing the quality of your home work, producing the expected work load, meeting tighter deadlines and deciding who will pay for the technology required. Continued...