telework

American  

[tel-uh-wurk] / ˈtɛl əˌwɜrk /

verb (used without object)

1. to work at home or from another remote location by using the internet or a computer linked to one’s place of employment, as well as digital communications such as email and phone.

   People with white-collar jobs are more likely to telework.

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noun

1. the practice of working at home or from another remote location by using a computer and digital communications.

   Luckily my employer supports telework, but I usually go into the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Other Word Forms

• teleworker noun

Etymology

Origin of telework

First recorded in 1970–75; tele- ¹ ( def. ) + work ( def. )

Example Sentences

To make your case in this situation, it is important to present a record of effective remote work, says Kevin Rockmann, a management professor at George Mason University who studies telework.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

As of 2024, half of the state’s workers were eligible for remote work, and 74% of those workers preferred telework, according to the Department of General Services’ estimate at the time.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2026

“That's their narrative: Equate telework, any telework, with ‘not showing up for work.’”

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2025

Of the 2.3 million civilian workers working for the government in May, the report said, 1.1 million were eligible for telework and about 228,000 were eligible for entirely remote work.

From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2024

In a key post-pandemic development, telework is proving to be as popular with federal government workers as it is among the private sector.

From Seattle Times • May 19, 2024