Good Greetings US Virgin Islands Residents!

The purpose of this petition is to help bring attention to laws that need to be changed to prevent barriers to remote work opportunities in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is specific to W2 employees.

How can I help?

1.Read the rest of the petition which details the frustrating and ongoing barriers I experienced while trying to obtain remote work jobs after moving back home.

2.Sign this petition to help us get at least 250 signatures.

3.Share this petition with others.

4.Share any personal experiences you’ve had with this in the chat here.

Once the signatures are collected, I will send the petition results to the 35th legislature of the US Virgin Islands, our Governor, and our Delegate to Congress to bring this issue to the forefront.  Contact details can be seen here: https://www.legvi.org/phonedirectory/phonedirectory.pdf

This recent news story on remote work barriers published on June 20, 2024, by the VI Consortium drew my attention since I have had similar challenges seeking remote work on St. Croix.

The US Virgin Islands desperately needs to implement similar legislation to Puerto Rico’s Act 27-2024, which came into effect in January of this year. The act was created to facilitate remote work in Puerto Rico, which includes clarifying the applicability of the provisions of employment protection laws for remote workers. It allows certain companies to have their relationships with remote employees governed by employment contracts rather than Puerto Rican employment law, including laws relating to benefits, obligations, and insurance.  Lack of clear legal rules can discourage mainland companies from setting up remote work options for residents in territories outside of the mainland USA. For more details see the published Act here: Puerto’s Act 27-2024

From research gathered, I’ve zeroed in on two barriers that may be preventing stateside employers from hiring remote workers in the US Virgin Islands:

1. Taxation process with our local IRB vs. paying into the state tax system; if they are required to set up a local business here this may be too much of a hassle and possibly deter them from hiring remote workers who live here.

2. Applicability of employment protection laws to companies with no physical presence or businesses in the US Virgin Islands.

The Back Story

Why am I starting this petition?

I am a resident of St. Croix, USVI, and my ability to earn a livelihood has been significantly affected by the lack of remote work opportunities. Like myself, there seem to be others who are also struggling to maintain stable income due to this gap.

During the past few years, I have applied for hundreds of remote jobs while living in St. Croix - my primary residence for most of my life. I did not begin to gain traction on interview requests until I relocated to Florida. When I was considering moving back home to the VI, my employer told me I could not work from here. Now that I'm back, I'm in the same situation again where I'm not being called for interviews for remote jobs with stateside companies, despite my extensive qualifications and credentials which include project management certification and over 15 years of program management experience.

We must address this issue and truly become the remote work-friendly location the US Virgin Islands has aimed to be for years. We can have the greatest Internet infrastructure in the world, but clarifying to mainland companies how to hire USVI residents will be the linchpin to tie the telework business model here together. If I were an employer, I’d probably have hesitancy too if the legal framework for hiring in the VI was not clear or employer-friendly.

How will this benefit the US Virgin Islands?

· Those already living here: Remote work not only improves work flexibility but also provides opportunities for those who may not be able to commute or relocate for work to the mainland USA. The US Virgin Islands, with its unique geographical location and limited job market, stands to benefit greatly from being an established remote work-friendly location. Additionally, remote employment opportunities for recent UVI graduates represent a valuable advantage for the territory.   

·  Those living away:  So many Virgin Islanders would like to move back home but are understandably concerned about finding sustainable employment here. Depending on their profession, remote work is a great option to keep a job they already have.

Let's advocate to improve remote work opportunities for mainland companies and even international employers. Positioning the territory as a remote work-friendly location can create a powerful economic ripple ensuring that our citizens have access to a wide range of job opportunities regardless of their physical location. 

Please sign this petition to call on the 35th legislature to promote and implement similar legislation to Puerto Rico’s Act 27-2024.