There are a bevy of benefits to teleworking including happier, more productive employees and an emissions-free commute to work. Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue wants state businesses to embrace teleworking and has designated Aug. 23-27, 2010, as the first Georgia Telework Week.

 

The Clean Air Campaign is encouraging employers and commuters to support Georgia Telework Week. According to the Clean Air Campaign, the Atlanta metropolitan area is the second most-wired metro area in the nation, making Atlanta the perfect place for telecommuters.

 

Although telecommuting allows employees to better balance their personal, family, and work responsibilities, it is also good for the environment. The fewer cars there are on the roads, the better the air quality.

 

In parts of Georgia, tailpipe emissions contribute more than 50 percent of the state’s total smog-forming pollutants. According to Erin Clark with The Clean Air Campaign, “When stricter air quality standards for the state are announced later this month, many areas will fail to meet air quality standards. Telework is a highly cost-effective pollution reduction strategy, as every mile driven adds a pound of pollutants to our air.” Source: The Clean Air Campaign

 

Atlanta didn’t make the 7 most polluted cities list but it earned a number 19 rank for worst ozone pollution and number 16 for year-round particle pollution. Increasing the number of Atlanta residents who telework will help keep Atlanta off this nefarious list in the future.

 

While teleworking is beneficial to all Atlanta residents, there are some financial benefits to businesses that offer teleworking opportunities. The Georgia Telework Tax Credit offers eligible businesses up to a $20,000 tax credit for starting or expanding a telework program and a second tax credit of up to $1,200 for each new employee who joins the teleworking program. The deadline to apply for this tax credit is Oct. 31, 2010.

 

If you're in Georgia and not already teleworking, learn more about how you can encourage your employer to embrace this trend during Georgia Telework Week.