Purpose:  There are times when allowing or requiring an employee to telecommute is in the interest of both the college and the employee. Telecommuting employees perform essentially the same work they would on the main campus, in accordance with the same performance expectations and other agreed upon terms.  Telecommuting may not be suitable for all employees or positions.  In general, the position should not be a position that directly serves students or face-to-face internal or external customers, unless that service is intended to be always virtual (E.g., an online instructor).
 
Definition of Telecommuting:  Telecommuting is a work option where an employee of CWC works at an approved alternate (non-CWC facilities) worksite for an agreed period of time with any remainder of work time spent at the college worksite.  No CWC employee is entitled to or guaranteed a telecommuting position.  Telecommuting arrangements may be considered on a case by case basis as recommended by the position supervisor.

Definition of Telecommuting Employee: A telecommuting employee is an employee who works at an approved alternate (non-CWC facility) worksite.  It does not apply to people who, with supervisor permission, work occasionally from a location other than that specified in the position description.  (For example, an employee may have a significant project that requires maintained focus to be efficient, and the supervisor approves the employee to work from home until the project is complete.)  Nor does it apply to an employee on approved college travel.   
 
I.  Temporary/Trial Period Approval for an Employee to Telecommute:  

A.  To be considered for a temporary/trial telecommuting assignment, the employee must work in a position where remote work is feasible.  The employee cannot be on a formal improvement plan with Human Resources and must be an employee with consistently excellent performance, including but not limited to:  Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with coworkers, self-directed requiring little direct supervision, and skilled in the use of any technology needed for remote work. 
B.  The request must be considered by all supervisors in the supervisory chain to the President and also be considered by the Director - Human Resources.
C.  Only the President can approve the request and any requested extensions.
D.  Temporary/trial telecommuting employees may be required to work at a CWC facility at times. Number of such onsite days will be negotiated with the immediate supervisor and listed in the request per G4 below. 
E.  Travel, hotel, meal, and all other costs associated with travel to onsite work are the responsibility of the employee and will generally not be reimbursed by the college.  The employee can request the college pay for travel on an exceptional basis.
F.  If a temporary/trial telecommuting employee is still unable to, or chooses not to, return to work onsite at the end of the time period contained in the request, plus any approved extensions, employment with the college may be terminated.  
G.  All requests must include:

1.  Circumstances which prevent the employee from working at a CWC facility, a statement on why temporary telecommuting is in the college’s interest, and any other statement(s) supporting the request.
2.  The start and end dates for which the employee requests telecommuting. 
3.  A list of all job duties contained in the employee’s position description and an explanation of how these job duties will be fulfilled by telecommuting during this time period.
4.  An explicit statement of either:

a.)  The employee is never required to be at a CWC facility during the term of the temporary/trial telecommuting designation; or
b.)  The amount of time  during the term of the temporary/trial telecommuting designation the employee is required to be at a CWC facility and at which facility.  If there are known exact dates/times for events when attendance onsite is required, these details should be included.  Also, it should be stated that the college may require the employee to be onsite due to unforeseen circumstances.

5.  If this request is for a trial period approval, a statement describing how the trial will be evaluated.

H.  The employee may request extension of the end date should unforeseen circumstances dictate, but approval for such extension should not be an expectation. Such a request cannot exceed an additional twelve months, must meet the same requirements above as for the initial request, and requires the same approval process.  Multiple extension requests are allowed.

 
II.  Permanent Approval for a Position to Telecommute (both Full-time and Hybrid): 

A.  Permanent telecommuting requires the approval of a position description that explicitly states that the position allows for permanent telecommuting.
B.  Permanent telecommuting employees may be required to work at a CWC facility certain days, and such will also be included in employment contract(s)/letter(s). 
C.  Travel, hotel, meal, and all other costs associated with travel to onsite work are the responsibility of the employee and will not be reimbursed by the college, unless the position description explicitly states that the college will pay for such expenses.
D.  All requests must include:

1.)  A rationale for why such an arrangement is in the best interest of the college.
2.)  A statement regarding how the employee will still serve the mission and vision, meet the goals, and express the values of the college.
3.)  If the request is for hybrid telecommuting, a determination of the maximum allocation of time that can be performed offsite and a statement describing how that determination was made. 
4.)  For all job duties listed on the position description, an explanation of how those job duties will be fulfilled offsite.

E.  The position description for a permanent telecommuting position must be recommended by all supervisors in the supervisory chain and the Director - Human Resources, in writing, and then approved by the President.

 
III.  Requirements for Remote Work:

A.  The implementing process for this procedure will include the standard equipment the college will supply remote working employees for use offsite.  Also, the request for remote work must include any additional equipment required for their particular position that the employee requests the college provide when seeking approval to work remotely.  
B.  If the employee accesses confidential college information offsite, it is the employee’s responsibility to provide a work location that prevents unauthorized access to that confidential information.  This might include a private space free from others viewing their computer screen and from others overhearing phone calls or video conferencing.  It might also include a locking file cabinet or other device for physical media containing confidential information.
C.  During times of work for CWC, employees must be actively engaged in their work and not routinely distracted by circumstances at the offsite location.  This includes working for non-CWC employers while working for CWC during standard working hours for their position, child or adult care responsibilities, or any other circumstances that would routinely prevent the employee from solely focusing on their CWC work.  
D.  Non-Exempt Employees:  Because of the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees working remotely may have additional reporting requirements.  The implementing process for this procedure will include any such requirements as well as the requirement that such employees acknowledge in writing these additional requirements prior to any remote work.

 
IV.  Military Reservist: For military reservists, including National Guard members, who are approved by this procedure to telecommute for the college when military duties require them to be away from their normally assigned CWC worksite, requirements for on-campus site visits and auxiliary activities might be met through alternative means. These alternative means must be approved by their supervisor.
 
V.  Existing Telecommuting Employees:  Those employees working as telecommuters at the time this procedure is enacted are considered “Permanent Telecommuters,” and are not otherwise affected by this procedure.
 
VI.  Request for Accommodation:  Any request for accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or any other related federal, state, or local law will meet all legal requirements.  The process will be coordinated and managed through the Director – Human Resources. 
 
 
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