# Interesting situation...please advise...



## dbsailor (Jan 20, 2011)

I have a potential expat opportunity in Bayan Lepas and I have an interesting situation. So here goes...

My wife and I work for the same company but for different divisions. My wife works from home and reports to our corporate headquarters based in another state while I commute to work daily. I've been approached for an expat assignment and was wondering what the legalities were invioved (if any) with my wife maintaining her current job overseas. Considering she is NOT taking a job from a local I would assume she could continue working as she is currently from home (where ever that would be). The difference being she would need to account for a much greater time zone difference.

Does anyone have any experience with this??

Thanks in advance!!


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## JasonPenang (Mar 14, 2010)

Hi DB,

You do have an unique "golden" opportunity as your wife is able to work from home for the Corporate Office. Think about the cost of living in Penang, and she (at least, if not both of you are) is paid in US rate, that is already worth smiling looking at your bank account.

In terms of legallity, if you're too worrid about that, I think (since you're working as expats and will have a bank account here) you may consider your wife's pay check continue to pay to her US bank account, then that will be totally transparent to Malaysia. Having said that, you may also want to consider the income tax differential between US and Malaysia, and it may make more sense for her declare in Malaysia, hence to be paid into a Malaysia bank account.

You're right, if following CA timezone, she may have to work from 11pm - 7am, and her 1st day of the week will be 11pm (Mon) - 7am (Tue) equivalent to Monday in CA, and 11pm (Fri) - 7am (Sat) equivalent to Friday in CA, OR unless she can negotiate with the Corporate Office to work overlap like 3am - 11am.

Internet or broadband access in Penang is not an issue, so technology wise should not be your concern, but since your wife will be working at different hours, you need a home office, and house should be large enough so that your sleeping time is not affected 

It's also worth to go for bigger house since your family is going to make full use (occupying) of the house 24 hours a day at home.


Regards
Jason


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## kishore5382 (Mar 1, 2011)

i work for a US based bank and most of my colleagues in the US work from home. Even though they work from home, there is a primary office location that is mapped to them and which is typically not their home address but an office address in the city they live in. So i have heard that it should be accurate. So for someone who is working from a xyz location should show up in their corporate directory as working from xyz location and registered as working from xyz location for all practical taxation purposes as i suppose there is some nitty-gritty involved in that. I suggest you check with your company to see if they have any restrictions of such kind. 

In terms of money, you get good money as the currency conversion rate is good. But the big minus point is the time difference which is huge & it is hard working night shifts. Good luck!!


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