We recognize the importance of work/life balance and strive to find an approach that embraces remote work best practices while supporting our community. 

Staff, faculty, and students often share sensitive information about academics or personal circumstances. By offering in-person and remote appointments, we are prioritizing inclusivity, personal safety, and the diverse needs of our community members.

Guidance for HCDE staff

Supervisors will work with direct reports to establish telework plans responsive to the revised UW Telework Policy. Telework plans will be documented in a Telework Agreement. There are three types of telework arrangements for employees in telework eligible positions:

• Occasional:  approved on a case-by-case basis, are infrequent, and not regularly scheduled. It does not require a telework agreement, but approval must be documented.
• Hybrid:  Ongoing telework, less than 100% of weekly scheduled hours. A formal telework agreement is required.
• Remote:  Ongoing, 100% of job duties performed at a remote work location. Rare, and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

In the case of hybrid telework plans, where the duties of the position allow and the employee has a good performance record, HCDE agrees to a 1-3 days per week hybrid remote telework arrangement. Additional telework days can be considered in rare cases in which business needs can continue to be met and require supervisor and Chair approval.  

Supervisors should ensure that there is consistent, on-site workplace coverage throughout the entire work week, Monday through Friday, such that at least one member of each team is on-site each day of the week.

We understand that adjusting to commutes will be challenging. It remains that standard business hours for the main office are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer). Supervisors should continue to manage their team’s hours to best meet the business needs. 

Supervisors will be expected to continuously assess their staffing needs and how it impacts space. Should an employee’s telework plan remain 3 days or more remote after July 2023, their on-campus workspace will be considered available for shared use when planning space. 

The University’s telework policy strongly discourages duplication of equipment to accommodate hybrid remote work; supervisors will work with direct reports to ensure that consistent procurement and use of technology occurs throughout each team. Each staff has different computing needs, and thus, supervisors will be responsible for determining how to equip their direct reports for success, while not duplicating equipment purchases for home workstations and official on-site workstations.  

Plans for individuals will be formulated and agreed upon during annual reviews, and documented in the relevant telework agreement document, all of which are available here.  

Annual reviews and telework plans, if applicable, should be completed by August 31 each year. 

Norms

These norms apply to all three telework plans. Employees are held to the same performance standards for their position as they otherwise would under a standard, on site work arrangement. 

Telework agreement

May be terminated by the department at any time with thirty calendar days’ notice, unless it is for alleged misconduct or an emergency, in which case, it may be terminated immediately. The current telework agreements are annual. 

Work schedule / Communication / Signage

Work schedules must be posted with office hours that specify telework days and hours of work in their email signature line and office doors. This information will also be reflected on the HCDE Staff webpage and maintained regularly.

Communication methods must be posted in email and on office doors with specific to telework (e.g., Zoom, phone, email, MS teams or Slack can be substituted for a phone line).

Meetings

Assign a primary point of contact for meetings responsible for ensuring that all attendees have the option to participate either in-person or remote (e.g. setting up video conferencing technology or setting up a conference line).

If documents need to be shared during the meeting, send files ahead of time to ensure all attendees have access to the documents.

If there are more than 2 or 3 people in the physical meeting, make it a habit of stating your name when you speak to help avoid confusion about who is talking. Encourage meeting participants to do the same.

Currently, conference rooms in Sieg are set up with:

• An OWL that can be reserved via Equipment Reservation system
• A conference phone (Polycom)
• Webcam
• TV or Projector Screen
• USB/HDMI hook up

Participation

Ensure all employees are active participants whether on-site or teleworking.

On-site attendance

If you are required to come to campus on your regular telework day (e.g. departmental event, office move, meeting, etc.) there is no "make-up" or “swapping” of your telework day later in the week, unless approved by your supervisor.

Equipment and office supplies

Telework arrangements will not typically result in the duplication of office equipment. HCDE will provide one workstation for each employee which includes a desktop computer or laptop, docking station, and peripherals. It is up to the employee to determine which setup works best for them, especially in a regular/hybrid work arrangement. 

Materials, equipment, and supplies purchased and provided by UW remain the property of the University. Employees may only use this equipment for state business and must ensure University property is secured and expectations for information security are met.

Related policy considerations

As outlined in the UW Telework Policy, remote teleworking staff must comply with all departmental and institutional policies including, but not limited to, policies addressing appropriate use of University resources.