COVID-19 Teleworking Guidelines – Updated August 7, 2020
As part of our phased return to on-campus work under Phase II of the Governor’s Phased State Reopening Plan, we will continue to utilize teleworking to the extent possible but adjust current teleworking agreements as necessary to meet evolving operational needs leading up to and during fall semester. The guidance below is an edited version of guidance provided at the beginning of our pandemic response in March 2020.
Please contact the Office of Human Resources with questions or for assistance.
General Guidelines:
- Managers are encouraged to continue to allow employees to telework to the extent possible but may rescind or alter current teleworking agreements as necessary to ensure that departmental operational needs are met. Such determinations should be made based solely on the nature of each employee’s work and the extent to which the work can be performed remotely.
- Any changes to current teleworking arrangements require a new agreement to be completed following the instructions provided below.
- Teleworking will not be applicable to all employees, based on the functions of their respective jobs and departmental business need. Telework may also be implemented intermittently for employees, where practicable, to accomplish both safety goals and business need.
- The University will continue to provide special consideration to employees with underlying conditions that put them at high risk for complications associated with COVID-19 infection and those who are caregivers for someone who is at high risk. This may include teleworking or other safety measures. Employees who are asked to return to on-campus work and who have high-risk conditions should not disclose health conditions to their supervisors but should complete the high-risk consideration form found on the Office of Human Resources COVID-19 website here.
- The Office of Human Resources is available to assist managers in their considerations and development of teleworking arrangements.
- Information Technology Services telework resources are available on the university’s “Keep Working” page.
Specific Guidelines for all Telework Arrangements
- All telework arrangements must be documented using the Employee Telework Plan and Agreement Form, which can be accessed here. The form is to be completed by the employee after consultation with the supervisor. Upon completion of the form, the supervisor will receive an email confirmation and be asked to reply to indicate their agreement.
- All telework arrangements are dependent upon the employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of their job remotely and the existence of any internet capability and/or other communication technology that may be required to perform the job functions at the remote location.
- Employees’ direct supervisors are responsible to:
- Clearly communicate expectations regarding work to be performed during the telework period, including hours during which the work is to be performed, if applicable.
- Monitor employee work performance and productivity.
- Remain in regular contact with employees during the telework period.
- Teleworking employees are responsible to:
- Complete assigned work within the same expected timelines and to the same performance level as for regular on-campus work.
- Remain in communication with their supervisors and report any problems they encounter in performing their job functions remotely.
- Track and report work hours and/or leave taken through the regular time and/or leave reporting process that applies to their classification.
- Report to campus as requested by management to attend any required meetings or to meet other work-related obligations.
- Teleworking employees who are subject to overtime may not work in excess of forty hours in any workweek without prior approval of their supervisor.
- All university property, work materials and/or work product (hard copy or electronic) used or created by an employee at any remote telework location must be securely maintained by the employee and returned to campus. Electronic work product should be stored exclusively on university servers and should not be maintained on personal computers.
- All telework arrangements may be amended or discontinued at the discretion of management based on business need or employee performance and/or productivity.