Who pays: three setups
No government source counts how many employers supply equipment. Read these three setups, then find yours. Pages read November 1, 2026.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Setup | Who it was on the pages read | You pay for | Rough start-up bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employer ships gear | Conduent remote rep: "Company equipment provided." Progressive: "necessary computer and work equipment." Foundever: webcam provided | Internet, a desk and chair, sometimes a phone for sign-in | $0 for gear |
| Your own computer, as an employee | TTEC, U-Haul | The computer if you lack one, headset, webcam, internet | A headset, plus whatever your computer lacks |
| Contractor | Arise, Liveops, Working Solutions | Everything, and any platform fee | See the worksheet below |
Even "provided" can have gaps: Foundever asks for "a personal computer, laptop, or compatible tablet" during its insurance training. Ask this before you accept:
"What exactly do you ship, what do I supply, and who pays if it breaks?"
What each employer requires
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Employer (page read November 1, 2026) | Speed, down and up | Wired? | Computer | Headset and camera |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Working Solutions, contractor | 10 and 3 Mbps | Yes, "no Wi-Fi" | Windows 11, 8 GB | Wired USB headset "after you become an agent." Webcam on some programs |
| TTEC at-home | 30 and 3 for all projects. 15 and 1.5 for most | Wi-Fi only on some assignments | Intel or AMD PC, 8 GB. No Mac or Chromebook | Recommends wired USB |
| TTEC appointment setter | 30 and 15 | Not stated in the posting | As above | As above |
| U-Haul roadside agent | 50 and 5. Recommends 100 and 10 | Not stated. Ping under 100 | Windows 11, 16 GB, and Bluetooth for sign-in | Wired USB headset and webcam |
| Conduent remote rep | 50 and 50 | Yes, Wi-Fi "not permitted" | Company equipment | Company equipment |
| Foundever licensed rep | Posting reads "50 Mbps upload and 5 Mbps download" | Yes, "hardwired" | See above | Webcam provided |
| CVS Health advocate | "High-speed," no number | Yes, to router or modem | Not stated | Not stated |
A conflict to ask about. Foundever's upload and download figures look swapped, since other employers ask for the higher number on download. Ask the recruiter, in writing, which it means.
Speed: check your plan against the rule
Run your test on the computer you will use, wired to the router. TTEC's scan requires a wired link during the application, even for jobs that allow Wi-Fi later.
Here is one low-cost plan as a worked example. Comcast's Internet Essentials lists 75 Mbps down and 10 up for $14.95 a month, or $179.40 a year (Comcast welcome kit, read November 1, 2026). Comcast sets who qualifies, and only offers it where it serves.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Rule | Passes on 75 and 10? |
|---|---|
| Working Solutions, 10 and 3 | Yes |
| TTEC at-home, 30 and 3 | Yes |
| U-Haul minimum, 50 and 5 | Yes, but below its 100 and 10 suggestion |
| TTEC appointment setter, 30 and 15 | No. Upload is too low |
| Conduent, 50 and 50 | No. Upload is too low |
Upload is the gap that catches people. Also check that your router has a wired port and that a cable reaches your desk.
Help with the bill. Lifeline, an FCC program, takes up to $9.25 a month off qualifying internet or phone service. You qualify with household income at or below 135% of federal poverty guidelines, or through programs such as SNAP or Medicaid. One benefit per household. Call 1-800-234-9473 (FCC, read November 1, 2026).
The contractor start-up worksheet
Arise publishes the fullest cost list we read (November 1, 2026). Your numbers go in the last column.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Item | Arise's stated cost | Your cost |
|---|---|---|
| Background check, valid 36 months | $30 | |
| Hard-wired USB headset | About $35 to $100 | |
| Phone line, if your program needs one | About $75 to install | |
| Incorporating, if applicable | About $100 to $350 | |
| Total before a computer | $65 to $555 | |
| Computer | "Varies" | |
| High-speed internet, monthly | Not listed |
Liveops charges a $25 background check that it calls a business expense, and says you provide your own computer (read November 1, 2026). Working Solutions says its classes and certifications come at no cost to the contractor, and it pays per productive minute (read November 1, 2026). More employers: remote customer service jobs with no experience.
Then the fee. Arise's page lists a platform fee of $19.75 twice a month, and says that "as of June 1, 2025, this will change to 5% of a business's invoice total." Both lines appear on the same page. Here is what each would cost you:
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Week at $16 for 30 hours (your example) | At $19.75 twice a month | At 5% of invoice |
|---|---|---|
| Gross | $480.00 | $480.00 |
| Platform fee, per week | -$9.12 | -$24.00 |
| Net | $470.88 | $456.00 |
| Self-employment tax, 15.3% on 92.35% of net | -$66.53 | -$64.43 |
| Left before income tax, computer and internet | $404.35 | $391.57 |
Ask Arise which fee applies to you.
How long does the gear take to pay off? At Conduent's $14.00 and 40 hours, take-home is $491.88 a week, or about $12.30 an hour after federal taxes. A $100 headset costs you about 8 hours of work. A $555 contractor bill costs about 45 hours at that rate.
Who has to pay: the law
This is information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state.
Scroll horizontally to view every column.
| Rule | What it says | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Federal, employees (29 CFR 531.35) | If you must supply tools of the trade, it is a violation in any workweek when their cost "cuts into the minimum or overtime wages" | It protects pay near the minimum. At $14.00 for 40 hours you earn $560. The federal floor is $290, at $7.25 an hour. A $100 headset leaves $460, so no federal violation. At $7.25 an hour, it would be one |
| California | An employee is entitled to reimbursement for "all expenses or losses incurred in the direct consequence of the discharge of the employee's work duties" (Labor Commissioner, Labor Code 2802) | Keep receipts, and ask your employer in writing |
| Illinois (820 ILCS 115/9.5) | Employers must reimburse necessary expenses that primarily benefit the employer. Submit within 30 days with documents, unless a written policy gives longer | Read your employer's policy, because it can set limits. The law does not name home internet |
| Contractors | These employee rules generally do not apply | Check that you really are a contractor. See the DOL number below |
| Employers by choice | Progressive says certain remote work expenses may qualify, and "in some states and/or for some roles" recurring ones too | Check with a manager before you spend |
Other states may have their own rules, so ask your state labor office. Federal questions go to the DOL Wage and Hour Division at 1-866-487-9243. Unpaid expenses and wages: unpaid wages, what to do.
Taxes. IRS Publication 587 (2025) shows that using your home as an employee means "No deduction." If you are self-employed and qualify, the simplified method is $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet, or $1,500. Your space must be used regularly and only for business. Ask a tax preparer before you count on it.
What to buy, and in what order
- Nothing yet. Find the job, then run its tech check on what you own. Working Solutions says to get a headset "after you become an agent."
- The internet fix. If you fail on speed, a wired cable may solve it before a new plan does.
- The headset. Buy the type the employer names. U-Haul and TTEC name wired USB.
- The computer, last. Check the memory and Windows version against the job. Comcast offers Internet Essentials customers a computer for $149.99 plus tax. Compare its memory to the rule before you buy, because U-Haul asks for 16 GB.
Parents: a quiet room rule matters as much as speed. See remote jobs for parents.
When something fails. Progressive warns that a pattern of disruptions, technical trouble or equipment failures may affect your employment, and it recommends a surge protector. Ask what happens if your power or internet goes out during a shift.
Never do this
- Never buy gear from a recruiter's link. Conduent says it "will not ask you to purchase equipment to start working."
- Never deposit a check "to set up your home office." The FTC describes that exact fake (July 26, 2023). The check bounces, and you owe the bank.
More: job scam warning signs and how to check if a job is real.
Current openings
See remote jobs, or by city: Dallas and Phoenix. Before you pick: remote jobs with no experience, remote data entry jobs, remote interview tips and what remote work is really like.
More remote openings
Current source-linked listings could not be confirmed in this sample. Check the category search and each original posting for availability.
How to verify a listing
Every opening on JobPin links to its source posting. Open it, then find the same job on the employer's careers site and match its equipment rules, because rules change by job. Do not trust a list of required gear sent only by a recruiter. More: how JobPin verifies listings.
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