UNC CHARLOTTE PERSONNEL INFORMATION MEMORANDUM

PIM 58

EMPLOYMENT - TELEWORKING PROGRAM GUIDANCE

DATED:  September 20, 2007

Category:   Employment and Staffing

Contact:     Director of Employee Relations, Training, and Compliance- ext. 7-2804

1.  Overview

This guidance applies to employees who work primarily or exclusively from a remote location off campus that is neither owned nor leased by the University, such as the employee’s personal residence. 

Teleworking permits the University to designate employees who will work at alternate work locations for all or part of the workweek in order to promote general work efficiencies, to ensure competitive advantages with other employers, and to meet the environmental and budgetary challenges of the future. To the greatest extent practicable, the policies and procedures that normally apply to the central workplace shall remain the same for the teleworking employee. Some positions have job responsibilities or functions that do not lend themselves to teleworking. Therefore, teleworking is not an option for all employees.

Once a department or unit determines that a teleworking arrangement would be beneficial in improving general work efficiencies, a written request must be forwarded to the appropriate unit head/director for review and approval. This request shall include the responsibilities of both the University and the employee. Each participant in a teleworking arrangement must sign the Teleworking Agreement, the Remote Workspace Self-Certification Checklist, and shall comply with the policy provisions below:

2.  Compensation and Benefits. The employee’s compensation, benefits, work status and work responsibilities will not change due to teleworking. The amount of time the employee is expected to work per day or pay period will not change as a result of participation in the Teleworking Program. Job responsibilities and work output will continue to follow the standards as set forth by UNC Charlotte.

3.  Safety and Ergonomics.   In a manner consistent with the UNC Charlotte Safety and Health Policy, employees and supervisors will work together to make safety an integral part of the teleworking process. The employee is responsible for maintaining the telework site in a manner free from health or safety hazards and for notifying his/her supervisor immediately of any unsafe conditions in the designated workspace, or of any pain which accompanies computer use or teleworking activities. It is very important that early warning signs of pain or discomfort are reported before an actual injury/illness occurs. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to educate the employee about potential hazards involved in the teleworking process, follow up on reports of pain or injury to improve the workspace, and take steps to mitigate or eliminate these hazards. All identified health or safety issues must be abated in a timely manner. Questions should be referred to the UNC Charlotte Safety Office.

4.  Workers' Compensation.  The employee will be covered by workers' compensation for job-related injuries that occur in the course and scope of employment while teleworking. In cases where the home and the designated workplace are the same, workers' compensation will not apply to non-job related injures that might occur at the telework site.

5.  Materials, Equipment, and Security.  Based on the type of work to be performed, the University may provide computer hardware, computer software, phone lines, email, voice mail, connectivity to host applications, Internet connectivity and other applicable equipment as deemed necessary by the employee’s supervisor. Restricted access materials must not be compromised in any way and teleworking employees must take all precautions necessary to secure these materials. UNC Charlotte assumes no responsibility for the employee’s personal property.

6.  Work Hours. Employees are expected to perform their work during designated work hours and not engage in activities that are not work-related.

The University may terminate the Teleworking Agreement at its discretion. Under State and University personnel policies, a teleworking arrangement by management is not grievable to the State Personnel Commission or to EPA grievance committees. Items that are grievable are listed in the University’s Grievance Policy and Procedures.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

In the event of a catastrophic weather event, an outbreak of a communicable disease such as SARS or avian flu, or other such significant emergencies, this policy may be implemented by the university administration on a more widespread basis.   In such cases, employees may be required to work from alternate sites off campus (including their homes) in order to meet the operational needs of the university. 

            1.  The chancellor or chancellor’s designee has authority to determine whether special circumstances exist to implement the telework policy on a required and/or more widespread basis. The decision will be communicated to the entire campus community.

            2.  Mandatory personnel include but are not limited to the following functions IT, facilities maintenance/operations, financial, HR/Payroll functions, facilities, food service, campus safety, and related operations.

            3.  The implementation of this provision typically occurs for no more than thirty (30) days.  If the university needs the special provisions to last longer than thirty (30) days, renewal decisions will be made in increments up to thirty (30) days.  This will give both the university and the employee(s) a reasonable expectation of the temporary nature of this provision.  (Example: a Category Three (3) hurricane may require three (3) weeks of teleworking whereas a smallpox pandemic may require a longer period of time.)

            4.  The implementation of this provision does not require individual signed teleworking agreements.  Each department will develop and maintain updated rosters of those job duties that are deemed as mandatory and which positions qualify for teleworking under these special circumstances.  Departments must plan for cross-training and redistribution of “available” employees in order to prepare for contingencies likely to emerge during catastrophic or special situations.