4-57: Telecommuting Policy

Policy Overview

The purpose of this policy is to outline administration of the telecommuting program for Santa Fe Community College (SFCC or College).

Scope and Applicability

This policy describes the process and the criteria for obtaining approval to telecommute and applies to all employees.

Policy Statement

SFCC allows telecommuting on a discretionary basis. Before a department and employee may enter into a telecommuting agreement, an official member of the Executive Team or designee must authorize the individual to perform work from a remote site. Employee participation in telecommuting is entirely voluntary. A department may not require an employee to telecommute and an employee does not have the right to telecommute.

Definitions

1. Employee is any member of the college workforce: all staff (regular full-time, regular part-time, term, temporary, probationary, sensitive position); all student employees; all faculty (full-time, part-time, adjunct, probationary); all administrators, including interim; all contract employees.
2. Executive Team Official Members are all direct reports to the President.
3. SFCC Campus or Location Means the main campus, the Higher Education Center campus and any other location the College owns or leases.
4. SFCC Property Means all property that SFCC has provided to the employee to facilitate their performance, and may include but not be limited to computer hardware, mobile telephones, office supplies and similar matters.
5. Telecommuting Means working from a remote site, such as a private home, instead of commuting to a designated headquarters. Emphasis is placed on information or communication exchanged through telephones and remote devices such as computers and fax machines to allow an employee to work at a remote workplace. Telecommuting does not include online instruction through a learning management system, instruction done by adjunct instructors, or casual, intermittent work performed by employees to supplement the work they regularly do at an SFCC property.

Policy Process

1. Overview
   1. The telecommuting employee shall be responsible for loss or damage due to gross negligence or abuse to SFCC property that the employee is using at a site off the SFCC campus or location.
   2. Employees are responsible for protecting SFCC information (FERPA, Registrar’s Records Management, SFCC Policy 7-1 Information Technology Resources, Usage and Security, SFCC Policy 7-3 Information Security). No employee, whether telecommuting as defined by this policy or otherwise, may access data owned by SFCC, including data related to students or employees, or data that may be accessible remotely with SFCC logins, through a publicly available server or Wi-Fi system. Employees may only access such data if the Office of Information Technology has certified that there is sufficient data security in place.
   3. Telecommuting employees must use SFCC-issued devices when fulfilling their work obligations.
   4. Telecommuting employees shall be responsible for following SFCC policies and their supervisor’s directives regarding work hours. Employees may be subject to disciplinary action for inaccurately reporting hours worked remotely or working overtime hours contrary to policy and their supervisor’s directives (SFCC Policy 4-2 Employee Corrective Action and Disciplinary Action, SFCC Policy 4-52 Overtime Authorization, Compensatory Time and Flex Work Scheduling).
   5. Employees should avoid whenever possible combining work and personal tasks when telecommuting in order to minimize confusion in the event of injury about whether SFCC workers compensation or liability insurance coverage is applicable.
2. Eligibility Criteria
   1. A job function acceptable for telecommuting is one that can be performed at a remote site without diminishing the quality of the work or disrupting the productivity of an office. An employee interested in telecommuting must meet the following eligibility criteria:
      1. Have a demonstrated ability to work well with minimal supervision;
      2. Have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the job tasks and operations for which they are responsible;
      3. Have a history of reliable and responsible accomplishment of work duties; and
      4. Have demonstrated ability to independently establish priorities and manage their time.
3. Approval
   1. Employees who wish to telecommute must obtain approval from their supervisor and from the Office of Information Technology, which certifies whether data security is reasonably assured. The Office of Information Technology may specify conditions to the approval, including but not limited to assignment of hardware. The employee’s request must be approved by the appropriate Executive Team member or designee. The approved document serves as a telecommuting agreement between the College and the employee.
   2. The Office of Human Resources will maintain records of all telecommuting agreements.
   3. A telecommuting agreement may remain in effect for the duration of employment in the position identified in the agreement, unless terminated in accordance with the procedures described elsewhere in this policy. A new agreement must be completed if an employee changes positions.
4. Employment Relationship
   All forms of telecommuting imply an employer/employee relationship, with the employee receiving the same benefits and having the same responsibilities as a non-telecommuting employee.
5. 1. Employee benefits including leave time, holidays, compensation etc., are not affected by an employee’s telecommuting.
   2. The telecommuting agreement does not constitute an employment contract and does not create a property interest in employment.

1. Scheduling
   1. The specific schedule for the telecommuting employee will be determined by the employee and the supervisor, and recorded in the telecommuting agreement.
   2. The telecommuting employee must be available for contact during scheduled work time as if the employee were working on campus. Contact may include telephone, fax, network access, or email. The employee and supervisor will agree on how to best maintain effective and responsive communications.
   3. The operational needs of SFCC take precedence over telecommuting agreements. A telecommuting employee must come into the office if their supervisor tells them are needed there during scheduled telecommuting time. The employee should be given as much notice as is reasonably possible. A supervisor may allow for flexibility in scheduling the days of the week used for telecommuting and for week-to-week flexibility to meet changing needs.
2. Termination of Participation
   1. SFCC may terminate the telecommuting agreement for cause without prior notice.
   2. When the telecommuting agreement is terminated, the employee must immediately return to SFCC all notes, data, reference materials, sketches, drawings, memoranda, reports, records, equipment, software, supplies, and any other College-owned property in the employee’s possession or control.
   3. SFCC will not be held responsible for costs, damages, or losses associated with the termination of the telecommuting agreement.

Statement of Accountability and Responsibility

The President, through the Vice President for Strategy and Organizational Effectiveness and the Office of Human Resources, shall be responsible for enforcing human resources policies and procedures. The Office of Human Resources shall work with different departments and offices to comply with this policy and to develop procedures that will enforce this policy regarding awareness, prevention, and remediation.

Authority

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
SFCC Policy 4-2 Employee Corrective Action and Disciplinary Action
SFCC Policy 4-5: Overtime Authorization, Compensatory Time, and Flex Work Scheduling
SFCC Policy 7-1 Information Technology Resources, Usage and Security
SFCC Policy 7-3 Information Security
SFCC Registrar’s Records Management

Associated Procedures

• SFCC Telecommuting Policy – Procedures

POLICY APPROVAL

Governing Board approved: 2/28/18