W-2 Deductions for home office

[thblackroom88]

During part of 2021, I was asked by my employer to work from my home office.  The for-profit Center within the state university where I work passed an internal rule stating not more than 50% of employees in any office could be present on campus at all for any portion of the duration of the mandate.  As a result, I worked from home, met with clients virtually, and conducted all business at home by request of my employer.  This necessitated my purchasing a new desk and fixing my office up to accommodate meeting with Fortune 500 clients.  This was not part of my job description, not part of the agreed upon work location when I was hired, and my continued employment was conditional on meeting the parameters of the request.  Can I claim any of my expenses against my W-2?

[Mike9241]

Congress says no. they passed a tax law effective from 2018-2025 barring deduction in most cases for employee business expenses. yours is not among the exceptions. this law eliminated the job-related expense deduction for millions of employees

[thblackroom88]

Thanks Mike.  Can you explain what "Convenience for the Employer" means?  That phrase is esoteric and I can't find a definitive definition. 

[steveftse]

Can't you get your employer to change your W-2 classification to Statutory Employee to get around this so you can get around this?  I knew an insurance agent that did this so he can deduct business expenses.

[thblackroom88]

In my situation unfortunately, no.  It is for a massive state university with 14,000 employees in the system. they aren't about to change the W-2 status for a single employee.