Telecommuting Guidelines for Staff and Hourly Employees

For Use in Emergency or Adverse Situations

This document provides guidance about telecommuting for Indiana University Staff and Hourly employees and supervisors. Supervisors should use these guidelines when establishing alternate work arrangements for employees whose responsibilities can be performed outside the traditional office setting during emergency or adverse situations due to weather, a pandemic, or an unsafe working environment. Use this abbreviated set of guidelines when implementing the full guidelines is not practicable. The full guidelines are at hr.iu.edu/relations/telecommute.html.

A supervisor’s decision as to whether a work-from-home arrangement is feasible will depend upon:

• The employee’s job responsibilities—if certain tasks and assignments can be performed at home
• Availability of necessary equipment and materials to perform the work
• The home environment—if it is one in which the employee can work productively and safely, e.g., reasonably free of distractions such as child care obligations

Telecommuting does not change the terms and conditions of employment with Indiana University. University and departmental demands remain a priority.

When telecommuting, employees are still obligated to comply with all Indiana University rules, policies and procedures. Violation of such rules, policies and procedures may result in immediate cessation of telecommuting and possible corrective action.

Support and Service Staff, PAO and PAU employees, and Hourly employees are nonexempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. They are to accurately record hours worked to ensure compliance with the recordkeeping and overtime requirements of the law.  PAE employees are exempt from the overtime requirements of the law and are not eligible for overtime.

Employees still have Workers' Compensation coverage and must follow the university's procedure for reporting job-related injuries.

Once a determination is made that a work-from-home arrangement is feasible, supervisors should determine:

• The job duties that will be performed during telecommuting hours
• The expected work schedule and work hours including availability for calls, if needed
• How necessary communications will be maintained
• Potential problem areas and plan for how to handle those problems
• How safety and security of sensitive data are to be maintained

A telecommuting arrangement may be discontinued by the supervisor or the employee with or without notice.  At a minimum, the arrangement will be reviewed when the adverse working situation comes to an end. A telecommuting arrangement that continues beyond the end of the emergency or adverse situation is subject to the provisions of the full guidelines.