Table of Contents: Chapter 1

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115 TELECOMMUTING POLICY (EFFECTIVE 06/07/2021)

115.1 Telecommuting for Benefit of City:

The City, at the Department Director’s sole discretion, may allow employees to work from home up to two (2) days a week. The period for a telecommuting arrangement may be extended beyond two (2) days a week during emergency circumstances, such as a weather incident or pandemic.

Either the employee or Department Director can request the position be reviewed for purposes of telecommute eligibility. A Director shall not require an employee to telecommute, except as set forth in this policy, if the employee does not agree. After considering the factors set forth in this policy, the Department Director shall determine if the employee’s position is appropriate for telecommuting.

A telecommuting agreement setting forth the terms and conditions for working offsite will be prepared by the Human Resources Department and signed by the employee and his or her Department Director and submitted to the Human Resources Director prior to commencing telecommuting the position.

115.2 Telecommuting in an Emergency:

The City may require certain employees to work remotely during an emergency. The Department Director will advise these employees of such requirements, and a telecommuting agreement will be prepared by the Human Resources Department and signed by the employee and Department Director. Minimum staffing requirements will also guide the ability to telecommute.

Telecommuting preparations should be made by employees and Department Directors well in advance to allow remote work in emergency circumstances. This includes appropriate equipment needs, such as hardware, software, phone and data lines. The ITS Department is available to review these equipment needs with the Department Directors and to provide support to employees in advance of emergency telecommuting situations. Under no circumstances will the ITS Department assist with equipment at a residence for a telecommuting worker.

115.3 Mandatory Telecommuting Conditions:

The following provisions apply to all telecommuting arrangements:

Worksite Conditions. The employee shall establish an appropriate offsite work environment, including, removing worksite disruptions and ensuring adequate health and safety conditions. The City, through the Workers Compensation Specialist, reserves the right to confirm the alternative worksite is in compliance with this policy. If an employee has incurred a work-related injury while telecommuting, the employee shall notify his or her supervisor immediately and complete all necessary documents concerning the injury. The City 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.

Use of City Equipment. The City will determine the equipment needs for each employee on a case-by-case basis. Equipment supplied by the City shall only be used for business purposes.

Information Security. Employees shall ensure the safety and security of City documents, files and other materials while the employee is in transit and/or working offsite. Employees shall protect and maintain the confidentiality of all City information and comply with all Sunshine Law and records retention requirements.

Availability. The length of time for telecommuting arrangements is at the discretion of the City, and the City may require employees to return to regular, in office work at any time with 24 hours’ notice. Telecommuting is NOT a working condition right for the employee and can be discontinued. The hours of working availability will be set for any telecommuting employee by the Department Director (for example 8:00 to 5:00). Non-exempt employees are required to preapprove overtime and typically overtime is not approved in a telecommuting situation.

Factors to Consider for a Telecommuting Arrangement: When determining whether a job description is appropriate for a telecommuting arrangement, the Department Director shall consider the following:

  1. Effect on customers and other employees;
  2. The Employee’s demonstrated ability to maintain quality, quantity, and timeliness of service or product;
  3. Whether the job duties can be effectively carried out and accounted for under such conditions without the resources of the primary worksite; and
  4. Scheduling issues and equipment needs.