updated 10/23/10
I've compiled this list of legitimate work at home companies from friends (thanks, Carol!), work at home forums, articles, news shows, and hours of Google searches. I wanted to do a little deeper research into how these companies pay and any possible start-up expenses you might encounter. But if I wait until I have time for that then this post will never get written.

There are different ways to work at home that do not require you to start your own business or go freelance. One way is as a home based employee of a company. The company pays you, deducts taxes and social security, some might even offer benefits. Another is to be an independent contractor signed up with a company that has contracts with other businesses. They might require you to get a business license to work from your home. You might also have to pay for training or certifications. The company who connects you with the business that you are actually working for sends you a paycheck but does not withhold taxes or social security (you are paid on what's called a 1099 basis). You will be responsible for paying the IRS and your state taxes. Some of these companies do both - they hire agents or representatives directly then contract with other companies who provide independent contractors when they need additional employees.

WAH employees can be paid hourly, per minute of telephone time, or per phone call. WAH forums are a great way to learn how these different payment systems work. Check for post dates or website last updated dates to make sure information is as current as possible. If you haven't already, read part 1 of Legitimate Work at Home Jobs for some additional tips to help you on your search for a WAH job.

If you are doing a Google-type search to research WAH opportunities, try the following search terms with and without your state or region name (some companies only offer WAH jobs in certain states): work at home jobs, work at home opportunities, home based jobs, call center jobs, home based call center, WAHM, Work at Home Mom, work at home, work from home, customer service from home, home based customer service, outsource call center jobs, telecommuter jobs, telecommuting customer service jobs, home contractor jobs, virtual customer service, home telecommuting jobs. Also substitute the word support for services. Now do you understand why it took me so long to research this question, despite so many reader questions? This is a huge and interesting area to search.

Sometimes your search will take you to a website that is marketing to potential clients. Look for a link to career opportunities, jobs, careers, employment, human resources. You might have to check the tiny print links at the top or bottom of the home page, or go through an FAQ page to reach employment information. Whenever possible, I have linked directly to an employment information page to save you the search. You will have to backtrack through the website to find out what kind of services the company provides.

If you have to do a search for positions, sometimes its quicker to view all jobs to see what term the employer uses. Keep your location at "all" or leave it blank until you get an idea of how the company words its job titles. If you have to plug in search terms on a company website job locator then keep it simple to start, like just the word "home" or "telecommute". Refer to the list of search terms above for some more ideas to help you pin down a job opening once you find a potential company.

And, finally, PLEASE share your experiences with these companies with us!
Post your comments and questions here on the blog. If you find out that a company is not hiring, has limits on where you can live, has some HOT openings, pays as an employee or as a contractor, start-up costs etc then let us know and I will update the directory. I don't mind if you want to advertise your home based job blog or website, if it looks helpful I will add it to the directory. If you email, I will post for you so that we can all learn together.

drumroll, please......

Directory of Work at Home(WAH) Jobs

1800flowers.com As of 10/23/10 is recruiting for the 2010 Holiday season. Must be a resident and live in the following states: Delaware, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Montana, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Virginia. If you miss these job opps, check back before Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

accoladesupport on 10/23/10 this link led to a home based job for PC tech support that paid $10-$12/hour. If the link does not work, try going to accolade support.com and searching for jobs.

alpineaccess hires as employees, not as independent contractors.

Arise My friend has a couple of family members who are doing well working for Arise, one for several years. They are independent contractors, and had to pay for a local business license, for a background check, and for training. But it's nice to know somebody who can actually recommend a company that requires so much buy-in.

Call Center International

Convergys Work at Home

GE Retail Finance Call Center as of 10/23/10 there were only office based customer service positions available.

Global Response is a Florida based outsourced call center that hires telecommuters. Check back often for work at home positions.

hsn You do not have to sign in to search but you do have to agree to their terms of service. Home based universal representatives or customer service reps are hired in areas near HSN offices. On 10/23/10 the only telecommuting jobs were in the St. Petersburg, Florida area, but the Holidays are approaching. Check daily if you want to work for HSN.

HomeCallCenterJobs.com I just found this jobsearch site while I was writing this post. It looks like a good source of WAH opportunities for all professional leves. I haven't had the chance to really research how legit it is.

LiveOps

Micah Tek,Inc. Must be an Oklahoma resident, hiring as of 10/23/10.

Niteo Services not hiring Customer Support Representatives of 10/23/10.

SEI Search for "Work @ home remote order specialists". Also try just entering "work @ home" in case they have other opportunities.

Telereach is NOT hiring in AK, CA, CT, FL, HI, IL, MA, MD, MI, MT, ND, NH, NV, PA, or WA.

VIPdesk Hiring for bilingual Spanish/English home based positions as of 10/23/10.

Voicelog hires independent contractors.

West at Home has been around for awhile, so it should be easy to research.

WorkingSolutions

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Legitimate Work at Home Jobs part 1: 10 Things to Consider before Applying for a WAH Job


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