More and more organizations are “going virtual,” whether it is an employee who telecommutes, a team of workers in another country, or simply an employee who extends her or his workday by checking e-mail or downloading a document from Dropbox that connects to their phone, iPad, or home computer. Approximately 80% of U. S. workers continue to do business remotely after normal work hours. More and more organizations are incorporating telecommuting and other forms of virtual work into their workforce with great success and a reduction in costs. Managing remote or virtual workers requires a management mindset change that differs from managing on-site workers. Examining, planning, and implementing legal and contractual issues are not always considered in the same way when managing on-site workers. Failure to address these perspectives is at the organization’s and management’s peril. For example, what technological and management strategies should you incorporate to protect your interests? What, if any, contract should be created for your remote workforce? Who pays the home office electric bill for a telecommuter? Are there additional challenges for the non-exempt worker? The virtual workplace is a reality that is expanding and influencing how organizations do their work. The new virtual work environment offers exciting opportunities as well as challenges to avoid liability. Implementing prevention strategies to minimize liability includes designing and developing “virtual” policies, and training managers and employees who will be engaged in the virtual environment.Areas CoveredTo list 4 essentials for virtual teamworkTo identify the best characteristics of virtual team/employeeTo discuss tools & techniques to facilitate “working together apart” in a virtual environmentTo identify the tips for effective virtual meetingsTo discuss the importance of virtual contractsTo determine the best data securityLearning ObjectivesTo identify the remote/virtual workerTo list recommended elements of a virtual team contractTo explore steps to avoid discrimination claimsTo describe wage and hour obligationsTo discuss ergonomics, health risks, and virtual workplace injuriesTo define essential competencies of leadership in the virtual environmentWho Should AttendHuman Resources professionals; any manager of a telecommuter or virtual employee/teamAny industry with virtual employees, telecommuters. Sales, home health care, trucking, post officeWhy Should You AttendAccomplishing work in the new millennium has become synonymous with Virtual Leadership. The current competitive business environment and the changing nature of work and the workforce require effective leadership that spans the boundaries of time and space to help employees to work together – apart. The leadership of virtual teams is not the same as the leadership of face-to-face, co-located teams. Leading a virtual team is more difficult; it requires a dynamic interaction between technological systems and human systems that the virtual leader has to address and balance for work to be accomplished.