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UpWork, one of the largest freelancing platforms, began over a decade ago, according to their About Us page, when one of their founders hired a friend for remote work on a web project. It was so successful, they decided that being able to pull from a larger pool of talent was something other companies could benefit from. So they built a business around allowing other companies to do just that using their secure platform.

And because I already work from home, when the spread of COVID-19 began to pick up my area —I live in the Seattle area — I wasn’t all that concerned for myself. The only changes I made to my life, were to be more careful about visiting with friends and family to prevent spread to more vulnerable members. I also don’t have to worry about taking sick leave. My computer can’t catch a cold from me if I get sick — and neither can my clients. My downtime is also significantly reduced since I can still go to work with mild symptoms.

Which brings up a question: If we’ve had the ability to work remotely for a decade now and the benefits are so great, why has corporate America been so slow to come around to this? If not for the majority of workers, then for those workers who require accommodation, like disabled workers, remote work makes sense. Doesn’t it?

Accommodations for disabled employees

Another topic trending on social media revolves around remote work accommodations for disabled workers. And it’s scathing. Many people in disabled communities are pointing out how quickly businesses were willing to send abled workers home with remote work but have been refusing disabled workers this same accommodation for years. Take a minute and comb through the hashtag #DisabledAndSaltyAF today if you haven’t already. And check out this selection from just one thread.

“[If] the #coronavirus has proven one thing: it’s that companies, colleges and orgs have no excuse not to make themselves accessible to everyone.”

The beginning of that thread details the user’s difficulties finding employment that would accommodate their needs, despite being able and willing to relocate internationally. At one point, they quit volunteering information about their disability just to get interviews.

Other users echo statements made in this thread. One user commented that they were denied remote accommodations when they became chronically ill, despite having coworkers who already worked from home.

Reading the experiences of these people, it’s difficult to justify the reluctance of American businesses to support remote work for workers who need it. I can only speculate that businesses are reluctant to hire workers whom they perceive to be more likely to use benefits, like paid sick leave, than their abled counterparts.