Despite the recent bans on telework by Yahoo and Best Buy, many legitimate companies continue to hire home-based workers.

Customer service openings, for example, are easy to find. Hourly wages range from $9 to $15 and up, and employers include Amazon, Convergys, American Express and U-Haul. Other jobs include virtual assistants, web researchers, forum moderators, tutors, nurses and IT professionals. The list goes on and on.

Here is a sampling of jobs and projects that are available as we write.

—Virtual Assistants: Zirtual continues to accept applications for part-time virtual assistants, which the company calls Zirtual Assistants.

Per the website, "Zirtual Assistants perform a variety of tasks for their clientele within the personal/executive assistant spectrum. We like to think of our ZAs as concierge/assistant hybrids since you can handle anything from booking a flight to Paris, to researching chiropractors in Tampa, to managing a client's busy schedule."

For details, go to http://team.zirtual.com/#what.

—Online Moderators: LiveWorld seeks moderators to oversee Facebook postings and similar social-media interactions. Per the job description, "Our Moderators are virtual, part-time, work-from-home professionals. A moderator's responsibilities include protecting a brand's image, and increasing brand loyalty..."

Moderators may review client content, "which can include Facebook wall posts and comments, message boards, chat boards, user groups, blog entries, videos, pictures, or audio files on either LiveWorld or client platforms." They may respond to posts, delete inappropriate messages, alert supervisors to trends, etc.

For more, see http://www.liveworld.com/careers/liveworld-moderator/.

—Greeting Card Merchandisers: For people who like to be home-based but get out and mingle, merchandising jobs can offer just the thing. Typically, merchandisers visit local stores to take care of inventory. Hallmark, for example, recently advertised for part-time field merchandisers.

Per the job lead, "Hallmark Field Merchandisers are responsible for maintaining the greeting card departments in all of our wholesale and retail businesses. It's a job that requires a lot of organization, customer service and initiative."

For more, see http://www.hallmark.com/careers/field-merchandising/.

—Remote Services Technicians: Support.com is hiring home-based technical support agents to help consumers and small businesses. (For disclosure, Support.com is also an advertiser on our Rat Race Rebellion website.)

Per the company, technicians focus on home network setup and repair, including wireless configuration for operating systems (Windows, iOS, OSx, Android, etc.), router configuration, and setting up peripherals.

For details, see http://www.support.com/about/careers/openings.

Christine Durst and Michael Haaren are leaders in the work-at-home movement and advocates of de-rat-raced living. Their latest book is "Work at Home Now," a guide to finding home-based jobs. They offer additional guidance on finding home-based work at www.RatRaceRebellion.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.