Telecommuting Application Consideration Guide for Employees

Overview and Employee Responsibilities

Below is a listing of the responsibilities for an employee considering and approved for telecommuting. It is important to be clear that telecommuting under this program is very different than the emergency COVID related telecommuting that was in place from March 2020 through August 2021. Applications for telecommuting will not liberally be approved as they were during the initial COVID pandemic when the majority of university services were performed remotely.

This telecommuting program is to support those employees whose work does not require in-person student/constituent service delivery and interaction, including classroom presence. Employees whose work if typically performed away from the end customer (i.e. the student, coworker, constituent) are more suited for this program.

In all cases, telecommuting arrangements will be limited to no more 50% of a pay period being performed remotely. Example, a 10 day pay period, only five days can be approved for remote work. Telecommuting applications are for a specific set schedule of remote and in person work each pay period. Telecommuting does not cover situations that are on an “as needed basis.”

Employee Considerations

Telecommuting arrangements simply allow work to be performed in settings other than the traditional on campus worksite. All policies, work rules, performance expectations, professional obligations and codes of conduct apply as they normally would in a traditional campus setting. Specific employee responsibilities include:

• Employees are actively working towards and are fully focused on business goals and
  professional obligations during normally scheduled hours of work. Employees are easily
  accessible throughout the workday, answer phones, and respond to emails and other inquiries in a prompt and timely manner.
  • Other than occasional occurrences, will anything prevent full focus on business goals and work activities during the period of telecommuting?
• Employees meet or exceed all performance goals and expectations as outlined in performance program and/or in alignment with special projects and other duties as assigned.
  • Will anything get in the way of meeting performance goals and expectations during normal business hours that would otherwise be worked if reporting to campus?
• Employees ensure effective and productive communication with their immediate
  supervisor/manager, team members and all other constituents or campus partners. Employees’ behavior is professional, courteous, service oriented and aligned with codes of conduct, campus values, etc.
  • How, and what methods of communication will be used to ensure a similar level of responsiveness as if on campus?
• Employees return to campus for onsite meetings, teambuilding activities, trainings etc., as
  
  • Will you be able to report to campus with short notice should an operation need arise, typically not the same business day but could be in an emergency basis?
• Employees submit requests for scheduled time off (vacations, holidays, etc.) in accordance with established policies and/or contracts and charge appropriate time off benefits.
  • Flexibility afforded working remotely should not be used in exchange for using accruals. If there is a time period throughout the workday that the employee is not available and conducting work, accruals should be charged.
• Employees notify immediate supervisor/manager of unanticipated full day or partial day
  absences or lateness in accordance with established policies and/or contracts and charge
  appropriate time off benefits.
• Telecommuting should not be considered as a substitute for child or elder care nor should a campus mandate or monitor such arrangements. Employees are expected to make such
  arrangements for child or elder care so as not to adversely impact telecommuting workflow and productivity.
  • Other than occasional occurrences, will anything prevent full focus on business goals and work activities during the period of telecommuting?
  • Could an alternate work schedule support care needs?
  • Would a partial or full leave of absence be more appropriate?
• Employees who have childcare obligations, family care obligations and/or any other obligations that would prevent them from focusing their full time and attention on work, must follow all leave and/or time off policies as needed.
• While NYS Workers Compensation through the State Insurance Fund covers the employee working from a flexible location, it is the employee’s responsibility to also ensure that this type of arrangement is permissible under their homeowners or renters insurance policy. Employees must practice safe work habits and do all they can to minimize the risk of work-related injuries.
• Employees understand and acknowledge that telecommuting arrangements are not an
  entitlement and can be modified or discontinued by management at any time following
  appropriate notice (as discussed above). Likewise, telecommuting arrangements may be
  terminated at any time by an employee following appropriate notice to their immediate
  supervisor/manager and HR.
• Employees understand and acknowledge that telecommuting arrangements do not change the employee’s terms and conditions of employment including an employee’s classification, base compensation, or benefits.
• Employees understand and acknowledge that the SUNY campus is not responsible for equipping their telecommuting location(s) and the specific policies of individual campuses related to loaning, borrowing, transporting and/or supporting supplies and equipment will apply.
  • Do you currently possess the supplies and equipment needed to work effectively
    remotely? If not, what is needed and how will it be obtained?
  • Other than a laptop, or similar transportable computing device, technology, hardware, and furniture is not to leave campus.
  • How does the work performed relate to our data classification policy? It is a violation of campus policy to transmit certain data types such as FERPA and PHI data, from non-college owned devices.
  • The university will not install additional applications or purchase additional licenses to install applications onto a personal device. Does the employee have the ability to remote (VPN) into their desktop unit to perform their work remotely?