UW Research

Telework Policy (ORC)

Telework Policy

 

1.0 Purpose

This policy establishes attendance guidelines and expectations for the Office of Research Central staff with regards to telework. University policy (https://hr.uw.edu/policies/telework/) permits employees to telework when approved by their supervisor.

2.0 Revision History

None.

3.0 Persons Affected

3.1 This policy applies to all professional staff and permanent classified non-union and permanent contract classified staff in the Office of Research Central.

 

4.0 Policy

University policy permits employees to telework when the employee’s supervisor (or other designated official) evaluates the telework request and/or Telework Plan and Agreement form and approves it. ORC professional and classified staff may be eligible to request to telework after six months of tenure with ORC.

The arrangement is intended to benefit the employee without putting undue burden on the supervisor or the rest of team. With a good plan in place, telework can benefit not only the employee but also the supervisor, the team, and the University in general. Telework often improves job satisfaction by increasing job flexibility. It also allows the University to retain valued employees who might otherwise change jobs.

Supervisors must determine the feasibility of a proposed telework arrangement before approving it.

When evaluating the request, the supervisor must determine that the employee can effectively perform the job duties of the position while teleworking, and can effectively work as a member of her/his team, where applicable. Some positions and tasks do not lend themselves to telework. The supervisor must also determine that the teleworking arrangement conforms to applicable regulations, policies, and collective bargaining agreements.

The supervisor makes the final decision about an employee’s telework request after evaluating its feasibility.

The supervisor will work with the employee to evaluate, and will consider how the proposal will affect the personnel in, and the operations of, the unit. All potential issues should be identified and addressed. Employee work styles and job duties vary. Some employees may be better prepared than others to manage the unique requirements of teleworking. When evaluating a telework request, the supervisor should consider how well the employee has demonstrated the skills and work habits that working from home will require. These include the ability to:

  • Prioritize work to meet deadlines
  • Accomplish job duties with minimal supervision
  • Communicate effectively with the supervisor, colleagues, campus, and collaborators
  • Demonstrate good attendance at meetings, including virtual meetings, and other work events

To ensure that employees continue working effectively under a telework arrangement, a Telework Plan and Agreement form must be completed. A regular telework arrangement is supported by this written agreement that specifies the requirements and details of the arrangement. The arrangement can last for a defined period or can continue indefinitely. These arrangements are either requested by the employee or required due to the nature of the position.

Staff may request to telework one full business day per week. Arrangements for additional days may be made per the circumstances outlined below. The day the individual teleworks must be mutually agreed upon by the individual and supervisor, must be communicated to team members and close coworkers, should be the same day per week, and must be documented on a UW Telework Plan and Agreement form:

Telework Agreement – 100% remote (MS Word):
https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Telework-Plan-Agreement-Remote-20210902.docx

Telework Agreement – Hybrid or Occasional (MS Word):
https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Telework-Plan-Agreement-Hybrid-Occasional-20210902.docx

Additional teleworking beyond the regular arrangement is allowed when one of the following circumstances applies and the additional teleworking is approved by the individual’s supervisor in advance:

  • Planned: Individual needs to be away from the office but is still able to work, due to a planned circumstance. Individual should request planned teleworking at least one week in advance.
  • Occasional: Individual needs to be away from the office due to an unforeseen circumstance (i.e. temporary workplace disruption, such as office remodeling or inclement weather, or needs to devote concentrated effort to a project), but is still able to work. Occasional telework needs prior written (e.g. e-mail) approval from one’s supervisor. This is done on a case-by-case basis.
  • As a Disability Accommodation: Individual needs to obtain a medical provider’s paperwork for submission to the UW Disabilities Services Office (DSO)
  • Emergency circumstances: As declared by the Office of the President, or designee, resulting from inclement weather, natural disasters, public health emergencies, or other.

When teleworking, employees are expected to maintain the same level of productivity and responsiveness in their assigned duties and their regular work schedule as if working in the office. This includes having the appropriate hardware and software, remote access to their work computer, the ability to retrieve voicemail by forwarding their phone and/or enabling voicemail via email, the availability to talk with a supervisor, colleagues, campus, and collaborators. If an employee is not able to complete work duties while teleworking (e.g. lost internet access), they must contact the supervisor immediately.

All Telework Agreements are subject to re-evaluation at any time. Teleworking approval for regular, occasional or planned can be withheld or revoked by the supervisor. Examples of when this may occur is when a staff member is not able to maintain workload and customer service levels or has not followed this policy, or the request to telework is inconsistent with University policy.

 

5.0 Definitions

Telework: refers to an arrangement where an employee works from home or from another location away from the normal workplace. Depending on the details of the arrangement, telework constitutes either a portion of the employee’s work time or all of it. Typically, the telework arrangement is initiated by an employee’s request (though sometimes it’s a condition of employment).

6.0 Responsibilities

6.1    The supervisor approves and is responsible for making sure the plan/agreement is working. The supervisor approves and is responsible for making sure a plan for coverage is in place and is understood by affected team members.

6.2 ORC staff are expected to adhere to the telework policy.

7.0 Other Related Resources
UW Telework Policy: https://hr.uw.edu/policies/telework/

UW Telework Plan and Agreement forms:

Telework Agreement – 100% remote (MS Word):
https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Telework-Plan-Agreement-Remote-20210902.docx

Telework Agreement – Hybrid or Occasional (MS Word):
https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Telework-Plan-Agreement-Hybrid-Occasional-20210902.docx

8.0 Content Creator:

Director of Human Resources

9.0 Effective Date:

March 2020