Responsible Office: Human Resources
Policy Administrator: Human Resources
Scope: |Faculty |Staff

Approved By: President's Council

Approved Date: 6/8/2023

Effective Date: 6/8/2023

Category: Institutional

Description/Purpose:

As Saint Francis University enters an era of growth we will do so with the mission of the University as our guiding light. The mission states, in part, that the university expresses the lived example of Saint Francis of Assisi in the modern world and promotes a culture that seeks understanding through innovation. With this in mind, we aim to ensure our employee work environment is led by our Catholic values and is understanding, flexible, and equitable. To meet the reality of the modern world, the University is establishing and supporting this remote work policy.

Details:

Remote work at Saint Francis University is the concept of working from home or another location either on a hybrid or occasional basis. Although remote work is an option for some positions, it is not a right for employees and it is not possible/suitable for all positions. Remote work is an alternative method of meeting the needs of the department and has a number of benefits:

• Greater work efficiency and productivity resulting from fewer interruptions and disruptions that are typical at the University worksite.
• Supports continuity of operations by making remote work a practiced routine in case a campus emergency prevents workers from being able to access their worksite.
• Staff may save time and money due to reduced commutes.

Each Division Vice President is responsible for articulating their units' remote work plan. All remote work agreements will be made on a case-by-case basis by the employee's supervisor. When appropriate, accommodations will be considered according to ADA standards for documented medical and/or disability needs.

Included in this document:

• Type of Work Arrangements
• Eligibility
• Request & Approval
• Employee Responsibilities
• Supervisor Responsibilities
• Remote Work Agreement

Types of Work Arrangements

Hybrid Remote Work: Employees working a hybrid schedule will routinely return to campus to conduct work related activities; hybrid working days should be no more than three (3) days per week. New hybrid arrangements must begin with a trial period of at least three months, and then may be adjusted or discontinued at-will or at any time at the request of either the employee or the University.
Occasional Remote Work: Not regularly scheduled, and approved on a case-by-case basis, these requests are infrequent and not regularly scheduled. For example, an unplanned personal obligation, inclement weather, or traveling on University business could be reasons for making this ad hoc request.

Eligibility

In order for an employee to be considered for remote work the following criteria must be met:

• The employee must have successfully completed the 90-day probationary work period for their current position.
• The supervisor must have completed and filed with Human Resources a 90-day Review Form demonstrating eligibility to pursue remote work (unless the employee is hired to work remotely in unique circumstances).
• The supervisor must have confidence that the employee is fully capable of efficiently and effectively working off-site.

Additionally, certain factors need to be considered regarding remote work. The purpose of the document below is to assist the supervisor in determining if a position and an employee are good candidates for remote work. Not all factors will apply to each unit or employee. It is up to the Division Vice President to determine what factors are appropriate for their unit.

View the Document

Request & Approval

The employee should talk to their supervisor about their interest in working remotely. The discussion should include the employee's perspective about the suitability of their position, their eligibility, and their ability to work off-site successfully. The employee needs to recognize that a request for remote work is not a guarantee that it will be approved. All remote work approvals will be made by the employee's direct supervisor and can be denied or revoked at any time.

Procedure for setting up a remote work plan:

Hybrid Remote Work: Hybrid Remote Work Requests will be approved by the supervisor ahead of the employee beginning their new schedule and a formal remote work agreement will be signed in advance.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Employee must approach their supervisor with a request for hybrid remote work.
2. If the supervisor approves a remote work plan, the employee is responsible for completing the formal remote work agreement and forwarding it to their supervisor for approval.
3. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring the agreement is shared with Human Resources to retain a copy on file.

Occasional Remote Work: Occasional remote work requests must be applied for in writing and approved at the time of each individual occurrence using the Remote Work Agreement form. Employees should not assume being permitted to work remotely on one day or for a specific reason makes each similar occurrence approved.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Employee must request in writing from their supervisor an Occasional Remote Work instance. The employee must share the nature and terms of the request upon seeking approval.
2. If the supervisor approves the request for Occasional Remote Work, the employee and supervisor are responsible for establishing a system that tracks occasional remote work and meets supervisor conditions.
3. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring the agreement is shared with Human Resources to retain a copy on file.

Employee Responsibilities

General Requirements:

• Remote Work is not an employee right or a guaranteed employee benefit. The implementation and/or continuation of remote work is at the sole discretion of Saint Francis University.
• Employees must maintain the ability to communicate with parties both internal and external and attend meetings via conference or video conference.
• Remote Work approval is for the employee's existing position. If an employee takes a new position, remote work must be approved by the employee's new Division Vice President.
• Employees have the option to request occasional remote work or hybrid remote work.
• Hybrid remote work schedules are limited to no more than three (3) days per week.
• Supervisors are obligated to ensure that participating employees continue to meet the conditions and expectations as set forth in this policy.
• The University may, on occasion, require in-person attendance for meetings, training, or other events. These requests will override remote work arrangements.

Workspace and Equipment

• Prior to approval of a remote work arrangement both the employee and supervisor must ensure that the employee can access all necessary systems without limitation or interruption, including stable internet service.
• The employee must make advance arrangements for dependent care to ensure a productive work environment. Remote work arrangements are not a substitute for dependent care.
• Employees will not be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses for office supplies, internet or phone services or costs associated with the set-up, repair, or modification of alternative workspaces.
• Remote employees must arrange to have their office phone forwarded to either their cell phone or the University phone system app (Nextiva) during normal business hours.
• The University will not purchase or reimburse employees for the cost of technology and associated equipment, phone, printers or monitors.
• University provided computers are for the employees use only and are not to be used by any other individuals within the household.
• IT only supports devices owned by Saint Francis University.

• Employees performing remote work are covered by workers' compensation insurance during the course and scope of employment, during the approved work schedule, and in the designated work location.
• The University does not assume any liability for injuries that occur outside of the designated workspace, outside of the employee's normal work schedule, or outside the course and scope of employment.
• Employees working remotely are required to ensure the confidentiality of university work products, including but not limited to documents, spreadsheets, presentations, training, employee and student data, and systems, including email.
• All proprietary information must be stored in a locked room, desk, or file cabinet when left unattended and must be disposed of following University guidelines, or returned to a University facility for proper disposal or storage.

Time Reporting

• Non-exempt employees approved to work remotely on a hybrid or occasional basis will be required to accurately record all hours worked.

Visitors to Alternate Work Site

Employees are not permitted to host colleagues or work visitors/associates at their Alternative Work Site.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation and benefits are not affected by remote work arrangements.

Termination of a Remote Work Arrangement

• All remote work arrangements must be structured on a trial basis.
• Executive leadership is responsible for assessing the effectiveness of the arrangement and to determine if any adjustments are necessary, or if the arrangement should be terminated.
• Reasonable efforts will be made to account for any problems that may arise (up to 30 days) should the agreement be terminated.
  • 30-day notice will not be given if the termination of the remote work arrangement is due to performance-related issues.

Supervisor Responsibilities

• Review the Remote Work Agreement annually in January of each year.
• Monitor the work performance, production, and deadline compliance.
• Establish expectations regarding availability, schedules, communication protocols, meeting attendance, and engagement with peers.
• Ensure the employee continues to adhere to all University expectations, policies, and procedures.
• Contact Human Resources with questions and concerns.

Remote Work Agreement

Hybrid Remote Work schedules require that the University have a signed and approved Remote Work Agreement on file. The agreement should be reviewed and updated as needed. This agreement does not imply a contract or guarantee that the employee will be permitted to work remotely indefinitely. Completed agreements are to be sent to the Human Resources Office.

Remote Work Agreement