Penny dumb, pound dumber

Mobile employees at this big international company aren't entitled to a home office or use of a real office at a company location. That was bad enough before the economy went south, says a pilot fish feeling the squeeze.

"In the last quarter, the company severely tightened expense requests related to home offices that mobile employees are not entitled to, even though a home office is where those same employees are expected to work between assignments," fish says.

"A focus on expense controls re-emphasized enforcement of corporate policies on expense reimbursement for mobile employees."

Translation: Mobile employees had to cancel company-paid cell phone plans used for business purposes, and replace them with less-capable company-supplied cell phones that don't include data services.

Also gone is high-speed Internet service for home offices. And business-only phone lines from home offices. And wireless data plans for company laptops.

"About the only approved access is dial-up," says fish. "Or, if we're working at a client site, we're directed to use their network and tunnel out.

"Then comes the final straw: a warning letter from corporate IT about excessive charges for using dial-up services -- using the only authorized VPN tool for remote access.

"But on the bright side, they are saving a boatload of money for the corporation."

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