6 ms·

I think we'll see a lot of people try to game it: * Not updating their address with their company after moving to a new, lower-cost location * Using the addre

I think we'll see a lot of people try to game it: * Not updating their address with their company after moving to a new, lower-cost location * Using the address of family or friends in a higher-cost area * Renting a PO Box or cheap room or studio in a high-cost area, but spending most time elsewhere I'd imagine we'll see companies pop up offering address verification services - physically and/or digitally tailing employees to find address mismatches. They'll probably sell themselves to large tech employers by saying that the geopay savings incurred more than pay for their services. Maybe this already exists?

ryandrake 6y ago
I'd expect to see this too, but I think anyone planning to do these tactics is walking an extremely thin line between "gaming the system" and fraud. Not to be Debbie Downer, but if someone is thinking about getting a PO box in SF and funneling all their work connections through a silicon valley VPN, they should think about how it will look in front of a judge when their company goes after them.
- lastofthemojito 6y ago
  Yeah, I wouldn't do any of the things I listed either. The potential punishment way outweighs the potential gains. But some people just can't resist trying to "beat the system" or "stick it to The Man" or whatever. I also wonder how things will go for people who take up the digital nomad lifestyle. I think most digital nomads thus far have been freelancers, entrepreneurs, etc. But big Microsoft-esque employers, much like the US tax system, are going to expect you to have a fixed address. If I'm currently based in India but sell my home to hop from location to location every couple of months, am I permanently on India-level pay? What if I did the same thing but had started in Silicon Valley? Can I keep getting that Silicon Valley pay as long as I don't stay in one place too long? Or maybe nomads default to a baseline pay level?
- ghaff 6y ago
  I see people threatening to do this sort of thing. But, seriously, do you really think you can keep the fact that you leave a couple time zones away from SV a secret from all your coworkers (one of whom will drop a dime on you eventually). "Can you drop in on a meeting tomorrow?" "Um, there's a blizzard in the Midwest." "Well sure, but you live in Santa Cruz, right? No snow on 17."
- jjav 6y ago
  It's not so much the company, as it is the state tax agencies.

ryandrake 6y ago

I'd expect to see this too, but I think anyone planning to do these tactics is walking an extremely thin line between "gaming the system" and fraud. Not to be Debbie Downer, but if someone is thinking about getting a PO box in SF and funneling all their work connections through a silicon valley VPN, they should think about how it will look in front of a judge when their company goes after them.

lastofthemojito 6y ago
Yeah, I wouldn't do any of the things I listed either. The potential punishment way outweighs the potential gains. But some people just can't resist trying to "beat the system" or "stick it to The Man" or whatever. I also wonder how things will go for people who take up the digital nomad lifestyle. I think most digital nomads thus far have been freelancers, entrepreneurs, etc. But big Microsoft-esque employers, much like the US tax system, are going to expect you to have a fixed address. If I'm currently based in India but sell my home to hop from location to location every couple of months, am I permanently on India-level pay? What if I did the same thing but had started in Silicon Valley? Can I keep getting that Silicon Valley pay as long as I don't stay in one place too long? Or maybe nomads default to a baseline pay level?
ghaff 6y ago
I see people threatening to do this sort of thing. But, seriously, do you really think you can keep the fact that you leave a couple time zones away from SV a secret from all your coworkers (one of whom will drop a dime on you eventually). "Can you drop in on a meeting tomorrow?" "Um, there's a blizzard in the Midwest." "Well sure, but you live in Santa Cruz, right? No snow on 17."
jjav 6y ago
It's not so much the company, as it is the state tax agencies.