Telecommuting might make life easier for millions of American workers, but it doesn't necessarily absolve employers from the responsibility of ensuring that their workers are safe and healthy on the job.

So says a report from Portland, Oregon-based Standard Insurance Co., whose Workplace Possibilities program has outlined a number of measures employers should undertake to prevent their employees from hurting themselves when they're working from home.

An employer would hardly be liable, legally or ethically, for an employee who does long-term damage to his back because of poor posture, but it's in the company's interest to promote ergonomics on-site and off-site. Neglecting the latter could produce lower productivity, long-term health costs and myriad other problems that threaten the business' bottom line.

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