Take the Remote Worker's Pledge

The coronavirus pandemic has silently and quickly created a new two-class system: those whose jobs can be done working from home, and those whose jobs can’t.

If you can work from home, here are some quick and simple ways to help those who can’t. With just 10 minutes, you can accomplish a lot.

Why do this?

I’m very lucky: I have a job that will allow me to work from home, and continue to pay me, while my family and I ride out the coronavirus pandemic from home. Many other people–restaurant workers, cleaners, and so on–aren’t so lucky. They’re going to be hit very, very hard by the slowdown in in-person economic activity that is starting in our country now, and is likely to get worse.

I’d like to help these people and businesses–because it’s the right thing to do, as a member of a community and fellow human being, and also because I want all these institutions to still exist when coronavirus is just an unpleasant memory. If I–and people like me–don’t step up now, many of these places will be gone soon.

If you have 10 minutes to help right now

Here’s are 4 things you can do to support people who can’t work from home, right now, in 10 minutes or less.

✅ Create a list of vulnerable individuals and businesses

Take a few minutes and record (in a google doc, a piece of paper, or whatever works for you) some of the workers around you who can’t do their jobs remotely. This list will help you come up with ideas and keep track of who might need help. It doesn’t have to be long or complete, just get started, and you can always add people later.

Some easy examples to get you started:

Neighbors or friends who you know can’t work remotely
The person who cleans your home
Restaurants you go to / order from
Small or specialty shops you visit

As we learn new ways to support individuals who can’t work from home, we’ll pass them on to you. (Your address won’t be used for anything else, or by anyone else.)

If you have an idea you’d like to share for how to help, email us at suggestions@remoteworkerspledge.org.

✅ Tell the people who work in your home to stay in their own

Do you have someone who cleans or helps out around your home? Text or call them, right now, and tell them that you’ll keep paying them, but they shouldn’t show up at your home until further notice–they should stay in their own and keep their family healthy and safe. Get their address so you can mail them a check. If it’s possible for you, try to pay them for a full month in advance. Many cleaners and others who work in people’s homes live check to check, and they’re likely to need the cash flow as everyone starts social distancing.

✅ Invite other remote workers you know to pledge to help those less fortunate

Email, drop a message in a nonwork slack channel, or share on Facebook. Here’s a sample template you can use:

I’m lucky–I can work from home during the coronavirus pandemic. Others aren’t so lucky, and they’re likely to be hit very hard by the economic slowdown that’s starting.

I’ve pledged to use my good fortune to help others who can’t work from home during this pandemic, and I invite you to do the same. You can find some quick, simple ways to help at https://www.remoteworkerspledge.org.

Or write your own, if you prefer.

Have another 10 minutes?

Fantastic. Take a look at four more things you can do.