Wilkes University is committed to providing employees a suitable work/life balance by utilizing flexible working arrangements, including remote work, where feasible.
These arrangements have the potential to provide mutual benefit to the university as well as to employees. Remote work arrangements provide employees the option to work at home for all or part of their workweek. Wilkes University considers remote work to be a viable, flexible work option when deemed appropriate by department leaders. All employees must consult with their supervisor when requesting and/or planning for remote work arrangements. Remote work arrangements may be discontinued at will based on departmental or university needs. The university will endeavor to provide employees with as much advance notice of such a change as possible. However, there may be circumstances when advance notice is not possible.
Eligibility
Department leaders should work with the Human Resources Department to evaluate the feasibility of remote work arrangements based on, but not limited to the following criteria:
- Job responsibilities – employees must be able to fulfill all requirements of their positions while working at home
- Equipment/technology requirements and workspace design
- Departmental scheduling obligations
- Employee performance – employees must maintain acceptable performance levels to qualify for and maintain eligibility for continuing remote work arrangements. Evaluation of employee performance for remote work will be consistent with that received by employees working on campus
The following guidelines apply to all remote work arrangements:
Equipment
The university will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the supervisor, appropriate equipment needs (including computing hardware or software). The university will continue to provide support and maintenance as needed for all proprietary equipment supplied to employees. Equipment supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate for use by the university, will be maintained by the employee. The university accepts no responsibility for damage or repairs to employee-owned equipment. The university reserves the right to make determinations about appropriate equipment based on university and departmental requirements. Equipment supplied by the university is to be used for business purposes only. Employees working remotely must provide a written inventory of all university property in their possession to their supervisor and agree to take appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. Upon termination of employment, all university property will be returned to the university through their supervisor, unless other written arrangements have been made.
The university will supply the employee with appropriate office supplies (pens, paper, etc.) as deemed necessary and reimburse the employee for business-related expenses, such as phone calls and shipping costs, that are reasonably incurred through the process of conducting the tasks of the employee’s position.
Workplace Security and Safety
The employee is responsible for establishing an appropriate workspace. The university will not be responsible for costs associated with the setup of the employee’s home office, such as remodeling, furniture or lighting, nor for repairs or modifications to the home office space.
Consistent with the university’s on campus expectations regarding information security, employees who work remotely are expected to ensure the protection of all confidential and proprietary information accessible from their home.
Employees are expected to maintain their home workspace in a safe manner, free from safety hazards. Injuries sustained by the employee in a home office location and in conjunction with his or her regular work duties are normally covered by the university’s workers’ compensation policy. Employees who work remotely are responsible for notifying the employer of such injuries as soon as practicable and completing an employee incident report (.pdf) . Employees are liable for any injuries sustained by visitors to his or her home worksite.
Time Worked
Employees working remotely who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will be required to accurately record all hours worked using TimeTrak. Hours worked in excess of those scheduled per day and per workweek require the advanced approval of the employee’s supervisor.
Ad Hoc Arrangements
Temporary remote work arrangements may be approved for circumstances such as inclement weather, special projects or business travel. These arrangements are approved by department leadership on a case by case basis, with no expectation of ongoing continuance.
Effective Date: 06/2020