The Wyoming Business Council reported yesterday that virtual call center Alpine Access would be hiring approximately 100 home-based agents state-wide in the coming year. According to the announcement, "[Wyoming's] Workforce Development Training Fund will help the company fund employee training in Wyoming."
The announcement goes on to say that the company will initially create 50 positions in areas of WY with broadband, "then expand throughout the state."
Some call centers hire agents as independent contractors and others as employees. Alpine Access falls into the second category. The difference is significant, as it often determines such factors as the hourly pay rate, whether training will be paid or will be an expense of the agent, the availability of benefits, etc. (For more on the difference, see my post here. To compare Alpine Access to 85+ other companies who hire home-based agents, see our chart here.)
Chris and I applaud Alpine Access' decision to create home-based jobs in Wyoming. We are longstanding advocates of bringing telework to rural and agricultural areas. Creating home-based positions in these regions brings all sorts of benefits. Among them, it lets people work where they live, brings income to the community, helps reduce rootless suburban migration and "sprawl and crawl," fosters community cohesion and "local living," protects smaller farms and ranches, reduces or eliminates commuting, etc.
For the WY Business Council announcement, click here.
For Alpine Access' website, click here.
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