Remote Work Policy
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Policy Statement
Oakland Community College permits remote work by employees who fill positions that
have been designated, by their Vice Chancellor, as eligible for remote work. The opportunity
for employees to remote work is an employer option, not an employee right, and is
appropriate only when it results in a benefit to the institution. Remote work may
not be suitable for all employees and/or positions. Departments across the college
will implement remote work as an option for eligible employees based on specific criteria
and procedures uniformly applied across the department.
Reason for Policy
This policy has been designed to help managers and employees understand this type
of work environment and their associated rights and responsibilities. This policy
provides a general framework for employees working remotely. It does not attempt to
address the special conditions or needs of all employees, nor is
it intended to interfere with existing schedules driven by student service or College
hours of operations, which may vary from position to position.
Remote Work Manager
Each department’s Vice Chancellor, or their designee, will be responsible for designating
position which will be authorized for remote work arrangements. The Vice Chancellor
authorized to make the decision to approve a remote work arrangement shall hereinafter
be referred to as the Remote Work Manager. Remote work is an arrangement between an
individual employee and his/her supervisor.
Managers who authorize remote work for employees are responsible for the following:
- Establishing expectations for and monitoring of employee performance;
- Identifying eligible positions suitable for remote work;
- Identifying eligible employees (see “Employee Participation”);
- Determining if equipment will be provided to the employee to use at home (see “Equipment and Supplies”);
- Establishing how the employee will maintain regular contact with office coworkers and management;
- Determining how the department will handle restricted access materials, security issues, and taking electronic or paper records from the primary work place (see “Security and Access to Information”)
- Ensuring practices are consistent and compliant with all College policies and laws in the use of technology;
- Communicating remote work expectations to employees;
- Ensuring that individual work schedules and reporting for non-exempt employees are in compliance with Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) regulations;
- Ensuring that each employee’s request to work remotely is considered in relation to the department’s operating and the institution’s needs.
Conditions of Employment
The employee’s conditions of employment remain the same as for non-remote employees.
Employee salary, benefits, and employer-sponsored insurance coverage will not change
as a result of working remotely. The employee shall adhere to all policies, rules,
and regulations of the College while working remotely. Further, an employee must have
the willingness of his/her supervisor to perform the necessary supervisor responsibilities
required for remote workers. The employee agrees not to conduct personal business
while in official duty status at an alternate workplace.
Work Site and Work Hours
A defined workspace and defined core hours are necessary (1) to reduce Oakland Community
College’s exposure to risk, (2) to facilitate proper management of remote workers,
and (3) to ensure work is conducted in a productive environment.
Work Space
As a condition of permission to work remotely, the employee must verify that the facility
to be used for working remotely is safe and suitable for the purposes of the employee’s
work. The department may deny an employee the opportunity to work remotely if the
alternate worksite is not conducive to productive work.
An employee approved to work remotely shall be responsible for setting up an appropriate work environment with his/her home. The College will not be responsible for any cost associated with the setup of a home office. Upon request, the College will consult with an employee on any modifications or requirements to operate College-owned equipment at home. Equipment and Supplies Office supplies (e.g. pens and paper) shall be provided by the College and should be obtained during an employee’s in-office work period. The employee is expected to use his/her own furniture, telephone/cable lines, and other equipment. Any use of private facilities of the employee will be at the employee’s discretion and not at the behest or expense of the institution. This applies to all physical improvement and conveniences as well as services.
In no situation should the institution-owned equipment be installed in an employee’s home or utilized for non-business purposes. The College, however, may give written permission for certain equipment, for example computers and monitors, to be checked out and used at the alternative work site. As equipment is property of the College, each remote work manager must retain the responsibility for the inventory and maintenance of College-owned property.
Liability
The employee’s home workspace when used for working remotely is an extension of the
physical workspace.
Oakland Community College is not responsible for injuries to family members, visitors, and others in the employee’s home. The employee may not host business guests in the alternate workplace.
The employee will not attempt to hold the College responsible or liable for any loss or liability in any way connected to the employee’s non-work related use of his/her own home.
The employee is responsible for contacting their insurance agent and a tax consultant as well as consulting local ordinances for information regarding home workplaces.
Security and Access to Information
|The employee is responsible for maintaining confidentiality and security at the alternate
workplace, as the employee would at the primary work place. The employee must protect
the security and integrity or data, information, paper files, and access to computer
systems. All College policies on Information Technology and internet and technology
use apply to working remotely as they would in the primary work place.
Child and Dependent Care
Working remotely is not a substitute for childcare or dependent care. The employee
shall continue to make arrangements for child or dependent care to the same extent
as if the employee was working at the primary workplace.
Employee Participation in Program
Offering the opportunity to work from home is a management option and not an employee
right. The employee, supervisor, manager, or HR may terminate a remote work arrangement
without cause.
Change Log
- 11-26-2019 Policy Adopted
