Tuesday Tax Tidbit: How Telecommuting Can Expose Employers to Unexpected Taxes

If you allow employees to telecommute, be sure to consider the potential tax implications. Hiring someone in another state, for example, might create sufficient nexus to expose your company to that state’s income, sales and use, franchise, withholding or unemployment taxes. And the employee might be subject to double taxation if both states attempt to tax his or her income.

The rules vary by state and also by type of tax — and become even more complicated for international telecommuters. So it’s a good idea to review the rules before you approve a cross-border telecommuting arrangement.