Telecommuting
Flexible Work Arrangement Proposal Form
Definition
Eligibility
Process
Telecommuting Guidelines
Considerations
Telecommuting Duration
Taxes
University Property
Insurance
Questions or Concerns
Flexible Work Arrangement Proposal Form
FWA Proposal Form (Word)
In order to facilitate arrangements under which staff may telecommute as part of their work schedule, the University has adopted the following policy and procedure.
Definition
Telecommuting entails regularly working outside of the office (for example, a work-at-home arrangement or a remote-access arrangement) for at least part of the work week. In general, telecommuting is a privilege which managers may grant under appropriate circumstances, to high-performing staff whose job responsibilities are suited to such an arrangement. Telecommuting may be applied to full-time and part-time positions.
Departments are expected to decide each request for telecommuting on an individual basis under the guidelines set forth below. Certain positions may require telecommuting, and the department will notify staff at the time of hire.
Eligibility
In general, this policy pertains to officers of administration and the libraries, and non-union support staff. In exceptional cases, support staff covered by collective bargaining agreements may be permitted to telecommute. For staff covered by a collective bargaining unit, the department must obtain prior approval from HR Labor Relations.
Process
Employees may request a telecommuting arrangement, or a manager may restructure a work schedule to create telecommuting. As with all flexible work arrangements (FWAs), telecommuting schedules must be approved in advance by the department. Any FWA should be put in writing to ensure that management and staff mutually understand the specifics. Staff may only modify a FWA with management’s prior consent.
The University advises staff that not all tasks are appropriate for FWAs. Departments will determine whether a staff member will be allowed to participate in a FWA case by case, and in accordance with the needs, requirements, and constraints of both the unit and the employee.
Any telecommuting arrangements made as a condition of employment cannot be revoked without approval of Human Resources.
Either the University or the staff member may initiate a telecommuting arrangement. The University gives discretion to the school or department which employs the staff member, to permit or not permit a telecommuting arrangement. Telecommuting is voluntary for a staff member, except when the position requires it and the department has notified the staff member during hiring.
Staff who wish to telecommute must first discuss the request with their immediate supervisor, who must support and approve the request.
Each school and department may require additional approvers on telecommuting and other flexible work requests. Academic departments should check with their respective Dean’s Office to ensure that they are following their school’s processes for granting FWAs.
Telecommuting Guidelines
- The department and staff member must agree in advance on a specific work schedule, including work days and hours.
- Staff must be on-site at their department as necessary to attend meetings, training sessions, or similar events.
- Staff must maintain a standard workload.
- Staff who telecommute and are unable to work because of illness must use salary continuation or sick leave, and must report their absence to their supervisor.
- Staff who telecommute and wish to be relieved of responsibility for work on a particular day or days must use vacation or personal leave.
Considerations
Generally, requests to telecommute should be contemplated when:
- The staff member has demonstrated sustained high performance, and when the manager believes the staff member can maintain the expected quantity and quality of work while telecommuting.
- The department can maintain quality of service for students, faculty, and other members of the University community.
- Telecommuting is appropriate considering the nature of the job.
Generally, requests to telecommute should not be contemplated when:
- The job requires the staff member’s physical presence or telecommuting would harm the school or department’s efficiency.
- The staff member’s current assignment requires frequent supervision, direction or input from others who are on-site.
- The staff member’s performance evaluations do not indicate sustained high performance.
- The staff member’s observed productivity levels are problematic.
- The staff member has received disciplinary action or has a demonstrated attendance problem.
- The staff member has less than six months of service in the administrative unit or school.
Telecommuting is not intended to permit staff to have time to work at other jobs or to run their own businesses. Failure to fulfill normal work requirements, both qualitative and quantitative, on account of other employment, may be cause for disciplinary action or termination of employment.
Departments may sometimes wish, as a recruiting tool, to permit a new staff member to telecommute as part of the hiring arrangement. The person responsible for approving telecommuting arrangements in the school or department should contact the HR Client Manager in order to obtain a waiver of the six-month limit set forth above.
Permission to telecommute depends on the staff member having a suitable off-site work location, and on compliance with the requirements set forth above.
Telecommuting Duration
All telecommuting arrangements are granted on a temporary and revocable basis, and the University or staff member may discontinue them at any time and for any reason, unless the telecommuting agreement is a condition of employment.
In making telecommuting arrangements, both the department and the staff member should be mindful that the policy is designed to provide a relatively consistent working arrangement, and it should not be used as a constant series of short-term arrangements.
Where telecommuting is a requirement of the position at the time of hire, and the school or department wishes to terminate the telecommuting arrangement, the staff member should be offered a position on campus if possible. If no position exists, or if the staff member is unable to accept a position on campus, the staff member will be entitled to a layoff allowance in accordance with University policy.
Taxes
The University will withhold income tax based on the location of the staff member’s Columbia department, not on the location from which the staff member telecommutes. Staff may wish to consult their tax advisor with respect to other tax consequences.
University Property
The department may pay for telecommuting equipment and services at its sole discretion. In most cases, staff will be expected to provide their own equipment, such as computers and telephone lines, if they wish to telecommute.
Equipment such as computers, printers, software, and services such as fax lines provided on loan by the University, remain the property of the University while on loan, and the staff member must return such items upon termination of the telecommuting arrangement.
If University equipment is provided, each piece of equipment must be listed with its serial number when the staff member takes possession.
University property such as computers, printers, fax machines and other equipment loaned to a staff member is the individual’s responsibility while it is not on University premises. Staff must return the equipment in the same condition in which it was originally received, minus normal wear and tear. Staff are personally liable for missing or damaged equipment. Staff are also responsible for the safety and security of all University property and proprietary information.
Insurance
The University assumes no liability for injuries occurring in the staff member’s home workspace outside of work hours. It is the staff member’s responsibility to make sure that their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers injury arising out of, or relating to, business use of the home.
Staff should note that some homeowner policies do not automatically cover injuries arising out of, or relating to, the business use of the home. For their own protection, staff should have their homeowner’s/tenant’s liability policy endorsed to cover bodily injury and property damage to all third parties arising out of or relating to the business use of their home.
Staff who live in rented property should be aware that their lease may not permit business use of the premises.
Questions or Concerns
If a staff member has a dispute regarding a decision under this policy, they should bring it as soon as possible to the attention of the next level of management and ultimately, if necessary, to the department head. Management and the staff member should pursue all efforts, including consultation with Human Resources, with a focus on resolving concerns. Final approval and arrangements for situations covered by this policy are at the discretion of the department.
The Office of Work/Life and CUHR are jointly responsible for administering, training and consultation for faculty, staff and others regarding FWAs.
The University strongly encourages departments to consult with their HR Client Manager during decision-making, and before responding to the staff member's request for FWAs – especially when a department is considering denying a FWA request.