Baltimore Sun Store

[Paula Brantner] said she began telecommuting in January 2002 as an experiment. A friend had started a nonprofit group, Workplace Fairness, which promotes workplace rights and public policy. As both acting executive director and program director, Brantner said she has a good relationship with her staff members - though she does not see them that often.

Because most of ARO's telecommuters are "mature baby boomers," many of them don't mind the lack of interaction, [Michael Amigoni] said. He added that nearly all 200 of the company's employees work from home. The longest telecommute is from Arizona.

Even with the challenges, one telecommuting supporter said he thinks the system will soar, and the opportunity to improve recruiting is one reason why. Chuck Wilsker, president and chief executive of the Telework Coalition, a nonprofit organization that promotes telecommuting, said employers are turning to the practice to ease financial burdens.