Telecommuting

Policy

Effective Date Aug 1, 2016

Applicable Employee Classes:	Effective Date:	Approved by:
All Florida Tech Employees	August 2016	Dr. T. Dwayne McCay, President

8.20 Telecommuting

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Describe the job duties and how the work will be accomplished offsite:

List University assets to be used at remote work location:

List University information systems to be accessed from remote work location:

List non-University equipment, software and data to be used at remote work location:

To facilitate arrangements under which employees may telecommute as part of their work schedule, the university has adopted the following policy and procedure.

Definition

Telecommuting entails a work-at-home arrangement or a remote-access arrangement for at least one or more days a week on a regular basis. In general, telecommuting is a privilege which may be granted under appropriate circumstances to high performing employees whose job responsibilities are suited to such an arrangement, and each request to telecommute will be decided on an individual basis under the guidelines set forth below. In certain cases, telecommuting may be a requirement of the position, and employees will be so notified at the time of hire.

Eligibility

Initiation of a telecommuting arrangement can be at the request of either the university or the employee. Permission to engage in telecommuting is at the discretion of the department in which the employee is employed. Participation in telecommuting is voluntary on the part of the employee, except in cases where the position requires it and notification has been provided to the employee at the time of hire.

Employees who wish to telecommute must first discuss the request with their immediate supervisor, who must support the request. Requests should be submitted via the attached Request/Approval Form and will require final approval by the appropriate Senior Vice President.

Generally, requests to telecommute should be contemplated when:

The employee has demonstrated sustained high performance, and when the manager believes that the employee can maintain the expected quantity and quality of work while telecommuting.

Quality of service can be maintained for students, faculty, and other members of the university community.
Telecommuting is appropriate considering the nature of the employee's job.

Generally, requests to telecommute should not be contemplated when:

The nature of the job requires the employee's physical presence (e.g. telecommuting may not be appropriate where the employee must supervise the work of other employees), or efficiency is compromised when the employee is not present.

The employee's performance evaluations do not indicate sustained high performance.
The employee's observed productivity levels are problematic.
The employee requires close supervision as indicated, for example, by the employee's consistent need for guidance on technical matters.
The employee has less than six months of service in the department (except in the limited circumstances described below).
The employee's current assignment requires frequent supervision, direction or input from others who are on-site.
The employee has received disciplinary action or has a demonstrated attendance problem.

Telecommuting is not intended to permit employees 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. Telecommuting should not be a substitution for in-home child or dependent care. If a child or dependent is present during scheduled work hours, the employee will be expected to make arrangements for the care of that child or dependent so as not to interrupt their expected work duties.

Permission to telecommute is dependent upon the employee having a suitable work location at the off-site premises, and on compliance with the requirements set forth below. An employee will be expected to provide a remote work that is quiet, conducive to completing their tasks, and free of safety and fire hazards.

Duration

All telecommuting arrangements are granted on a temporary and revocable basis, and may be discontinued by the university at any time and for any reason. In addition, an employee may discontinue participation in telecommuting at any time (except in those circumstances noted earlier where telecommuting is required of the position).

In making telecommuting arrangements, both the department and the employee must be mindful that the policy is designed to provide a relatively long term working arrangement, and it should not be used as a constant series of short-term arrangements. Employees who change their mind frequently about participating will not be permitted to telecommute.

Guidelines

The following guidelines apply to telecommuting arrangements:

A specific work schedule, including work days and hours, must be agreed upon in advance. The agreed upon work schedule must comply with Fair Labor Standards Act regulations. Overtime work for non-exempt employees must be approved in advance by the supervisor.
Employees must be reachable by telephone, fax, paper, or e-mail during the agreed upon work hours. The employee and supervisor shall agree on expected turnaround time and the medium for responses.
Employees must be on site as necessary to attend meetings, training sessions, or similar events or occurrences. The employee will not be paid travel time between the telework-site and the primary site or mileage.
Employees must maintain a normal workload.
All work will be performed according to the same high standards as would normally be expected at the primary worksite.
Employees who are unable to work due to illness must use salary continuation or sick leave, and must report their absence to their supervisor.
Employees who wish to be relieved of responsibility for work on a particular day or days must use vacation or personal holiday.
Employees are responsible for the safety and security of all university property and proprietary information. Restricted access or proprietary material will not be taken out of the primary worksite or accessed through a computer unless approved in advance by the supervisor. The employee is responsible to ensure that non-employees do not access university data, either in print or electronic form.
University property such as computers, printers, fax machines and other equipment loaned to an employee is the employee's responsibility while it is not on university premises. It is the employee's responsibility to make sure that their homeowners or renters insurance covers injury arising out of or relating to business use of the home.
Employees will be covered by workers’ compensation for job related injuries that occur within the course and scope of your employment, in the designated workspace and during the defined work period. In the case of injury occurring during the defined work period, the employee must immediately report the injury to the supervisor. Workers’ compensation will not apply to non-job related injuries. The university does not assume responsibility for injury to any persons other than the employee.
If an employee may be asked to work from home in the event of a natural disaster or other situation that requires the University to close. This is a temporary arrangement only and employees should refer to the Emergency Disaster Preparedness Plan for details.
An employee will not be reimbursed for travel or mileage should they come into the office or report to campus for University related duties, meetings, etc.

Taxes

Income taxes will be withheld based on the location of the employee's department, not on the location from which the employee telecommutes. Employees may wish to consult their tax advisor with respect to other tax consequences.

University Property

Equipment and services may be provided by and paid for by the employee's department at the department's sole discretion. In many cases, employees 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 must be returned upon termination of the telecommuting arrangement.

Equipment, records, files, etc. are required to be returned within 72 hours of the termination of this agreement.

The employee will be expected to keep all University assets and data in a safe manner, ensuring the material is kept confidential and systems are secure. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

If university equipment is provided, each piece of equipment must be listed with its serial number when the employee takes possession.

Employees must return the equipment in the same condition in which it was originally received, minus normal wear and tear. Employees are personally liable for missing or damaged equipment.

Insurance

Employees should note that some homeowner policies do not automatically cover injuries arising out of, or relating to, the business use of the home. For the employee's protection, employees should have their homeowners/tenants 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.

Employees who live in rented property should be aware that their lease may not permit business use of the premises.

TELECOMMUTING AGREEMENT

Employee Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Employee ID: _________________________

Work Telephone: _____________________Telephone # during remote work: ________________

Work Email Address: ______________________________Department: ____________________________

Position Number: _________________________________Job Title: _______________________________

Is this position on grant funds or “soft-money?” YES, Fund name and #_________________ NO

Date of Last Position Description (must be updated if older than 3 years): __________________________

FLSA Status: Exempt Non-Exempt

Remote Work Location (include street address): _______________________________________________

Explain the reason for telecommuting: _______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Will the employee be on Parental or Medical Leave? Yes No

(FMLA regulations require that qualifying events be reported to the FMLA Administrator)

Will a child or dependent be present during work hours? Yes No

Agreement Begin Date: _________________________Agreement End Date: ________________________

(Agreement cannot last more than 12 months and must be reevaluated each 12 month period)

Telecommuting Schedule (outline daily hours for the workweek):

I understand and agree to the following: I have read and understand the University’s Telecommuting policy and guidelines and agree to the duties, obligations, responsibilities and conditions for telecommuters described in those documents.

I agree that I am responsible for: establishing specific telecommuting work hours during which I may be reached directly; furnishing and maintaining my remote work space in a safe manner; and employing appropriate telecommuting security measures for protecting University assets, information, confidential material and systems. I verify that my remote work site provides space that is free of safety and fire hazards and I will practice the same safety habits at my remote work site that I would at the office. I understand that the University will not be liable for any claims, except for Worker’s Compensation, resulting from this arrangement.

I agree that the Telecommuting Agreement will not be a substitution for in-home child or dependent care. If a child or dependent is present during scheduled work hours, I agree to make arrangements for the care of that child or dependent. I realize I may be asked to provide a copy of the specifics arrangements with this agreement.

This is a mutual agreement made with my department and the University. I understand that the University is not obligated to approve or provide this arrangement and may, at any time without advance notice, change any or all of the conditions under which I am permitted to telecommute or withdraw permission to telecommute.

Employee’s Signature__________________________________________Date______________________

Supervisor - Approved Disapproved

Supervisor’s Name (Print) __________________________Date___________________________________

Supervisor’s Signature____________________________________________________________________

Dean/Director/Department Head - Approved Disapproved

Dean/Director/Department Head’s Name (Print) ______________________Date_____________________

Dean/Director/Department Head’s Signature _________________________________________________

Vice President - Approved Disapproved

Vice President’s Name (Print) ___________________________________Date_______________________

Vice President’s Signature_________________________________________________________________