General FAQs

What should employees do if they want to telework?

Employees who are interested in teleworking should discuss this with their appropriate administrator (department chair/MPP) or manager. Appropriate administrators are tasked with reviewing and assessing employee requests based on business / student needs. That means that they are trying to be flexible while also ensuring that all offices are open and functional by Aug. 2 with 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. service hours. Service hours expand to 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. starting Aug. 16. After that discussion, and with the expectations well defined, the employee can then begin to complete the Temporary Telecommuting Form: Fall 2021 via the Adobe Sign process.

Do employees need to meet with their appropriate administrator or manager before initiating the request to telecommute?

Yes. It is critical that employees and their supervisor specifically discuss this teleworking arrangement. The agreement should ultimately be a collaborative plan, and formalizes the mutual understanding for a telecommuting arrangement.

Completing The Form

Will there be a need to extend the telecommuting agreement beyond the end of the fall semester?

No. If an employee would like to submit a new request, they will need to follow whatever process is in place at that time.

Can I use an end date that is after December 31, 2021?

No. The Covid-related telecommuting agreement may only extend up to December 31, 2021 and not beyond that date.

In the Adobe Sign Process, there is a “cc” section to the form — who should that be?

Some divisions/departments have asked that a copy of the finalized agreement be sent to a specific email address. We added that "cc" section to the Adobe Sign process to help facilitate this request. We encourage employees to reach out to their leadership to determine if their particular area would like them to utilize this optional part of the process.

Form Submission

Can’t we just send in a spreadsheet that shows who is and isn’t teleworking in our department?

No. For compliance purposes, a Temporary Telecommuting Form: Fall 2021 is required for each individual employee.

Can I have my administrative assistant/analyst complete the forms for me since they know who is telecommuting and who isn’t?

No. Individual employees must initiate their own agreement. This is important since the agreement is based on specific expectations and discussion with each employee and their appropriate administrator or manager.