RI Named One Of The Worst States To Work From Home: Coronavirus

Rhode Island is one of the worst states for working at home, according to a new study by WalletHub. With most of the country working from home amid the coronavirus crisis, the company hired the best and worst states in the country, including the District of Columbia, weighing factors such as cybersecurity, cost of internet services, cost of electricity and more.

Before the pandemic, just one quarter of the nation's workforce was at home, WalletHub said. With stay-at-home orders in place in Rhode Island and across the country, employers were forced to quickly adapt to having their employees work from home or face mass layoffs.

"Companies that can conduct their business online also have a better chance of staying afloat during the pandemic," said Jill Gonzalez, an analyst with WalletHub. "In addition, while keeping employees on the payroll working from home may be hard on the company’s finances during the pandemic, the government is offering loans through the Paycheck Protection Program to help with that problem."

Nationwide, Rhode Island is ranked 45 out of 51 with just 53.2 points out of a possible 100.

Delaware was ranked best in the country, followed by Washington.

"Delaware is the best state for working from home due in part to the fact that the state provides a comfortable environment for working remotely, with the sixth largest average home square footage," Gonzalez said. "In addition, nearly 97 percent of households in Delaware have internet speeds above 25Mbps."

Rhode Island ranked poorly in both the living and working environment categories, 31 and 47, respectively.

Here's a look at the 10 worst states for working from home, according to WalletHub, with 1 being the worst.

1. Alaska
2. Hawaii
3. Mississippi
4. Arkansas
5. Oklahoma
6. North Dakota
7. Rhode Island
8. Iowa
9. Wyoming
10. Washington, D.C.

See the full study on WalletHub's website.

Coronavirus in Rhode Island: Latest headlines

• RI Coronavirus: Free Housing Available For Front Line Workers
• Rhode Island Coronavirus Cases Spike By 394; 16 New Deaths
  
• Coronavirus: 1 in 100 Show Symptoms In Providence County
  
• URI Dining Services Delivers Meals For RI Seniors: Coronavirus
  
• Theatre By The Sea Postpones 2020 Season Due To Coronavirus