A remote worker's employer said he had to live near the office. So he took a $35,000 pay cut in exchange for his work-from-home freedom.

• Jay, an elder millennial, wanted to move away from his office for family reasons.
• But his job required that he live less than two hours from work, even though he worked remotely.
• He decided to leave that role for a lower-paying one; for him, living where he wanted was worth it.

For Jay, remote work is worth the price he paid.

Throughout the pandemic, Jay, an elder millennial, had been working remotely for a government agency. His employer deemed his work completely portable and provided him the option to keep working from home after the office reopened. But there was a catch: He had to live within two hours of an office.