Remote Work Policy

 

Policy:

Work-from-home or remote work are traditionally viewed as a strategy to provide more flexibility or a work-life balance option for employees.  This policy is intended to benefit the NH Municipal Bond Bank by providing a remote work option, when possible, to increase employee productivity and satisfaction, help recruit and retain talent, and save employees hours spent commuting to work.

This policy establishes guidelines for administering and evaluating remote work requests or assignments. The option to work remotely allows employees to work from home or another location on a full, part-time, or intermittent basis. It is expected that most remote work arrangements will permit one to three days of remote work on a weekly basis and not every employee will have the ability to work remotely due to their specific job responsibilities or work productivity. The ability to work remotely is not an entitlement or benefit of employment.  Remote work is a privilege, not an employee right.  While remote work provides some flexibility in an employee’s schedule, employees are reminded that while teleworking, all workplace policies remain in effect, including time and attendance, and expectations for performance and conduct. Employees who telework must be able to commit their attention to work during their agreed upon hours, and are not to perform non-work-related activities (e.g. work for outside business interests, employers, or performing primary responsibility for dependent care, etc.) during work hours.

The decision to opt into remote work or end remote work is at the sole discretion of the Executive Director and/or the Board of Directors.  This policy will be periodically reviewed on an annual basis.

Eligibility:

The option to work remotely requires the approval of the Executive Director.  All employees who are eligible to work remotely must read this Remote Work policy and complete the application and agreement form in advance. Participation in the remote work arrangement will not alter the employee’s terms or conditions of employment with the Bond Bank, except for those specifically addressed as part of a Remote Work Agreement.

Eligibility to work remotely on a consistent or routine basis is contingent on job responsibilities (rather than job title), type of position (supervisory or public facing), work habits and ability to work effectively, independently, and meet deadlines. Jobs acceptable for remote work are those that can be performed without diminishing the quality of work, level of services provided, and without disrupting productivity.

Eligibility for Telework must take into consideration the employee’s access to suitable dedicated workspace, equipment, functionality, and scheduling. The employee and Executive Director will review the conditions of the physical workspace to determine if the remote work location is suitable.

Remote work eligibility depends on the ability to maintain confidentiality at home, the ability to securely access required data and resources, and the possession of necessary equipment for all work functions. These considerations include hardware and software capability.

Employees in leave statuses (e.g., FMLA, military orders, leave without pay, worker’s compensation, etc.), under investigation, or in disciplinary process may not be eligible or may forfeit eligibility for remote work.

Expectations:

Employees working remotely are required to comply with all the Bond Bank’s policies and regulations that would apply if the employee were at their normal worksite. Employees working remotely are expected to be actively working and available during regularly scheduled hours of work and must be available by e-mail, phone, instant messaging, online collaboration tools, etc. to the Executive Director, clients, and coworkers as required by the position during the agreed-upon work schedule.  Daily contact between the employee and Executive Director may be necessary to verify that the employee is actively working as well as to resolve any problems that may arise. Employees working remotely may require more frequent interaction and communication between the employee, the Executive Director, and other employees. Communication must be at a level consistent with employees working at the office or in a manner and frequency appropriate for the job and the individuals involved. The Executive Director may require employees to provide reports or updates of work performed/accomplished while working remotely.

Work Schedules:

The Executive Director shall develop a work schedule with each employee and the employees must conform to the agreed-upon schedule.  The schedule shall also define start, end, and mealtimes for each workday.  The Executive Director must agree in advance to any changes in that work schedule. 

It is the responsibility of employee working remotely to track and report their time accurately. An employee may be asked to provide evidence or regular updates to the Executive Director.

All employees on a remote work plan will be required to take leave to accommodate personal business at their home or sick leave if the employee is unable to work remotely due to illness. While remote work provides some flexibility in an employee’s schedule, employees are reminded that while teleworking, all workplace policies remain in effect, including time and attendance, and expectations for performance and conduct.

Where applicable, the employee must obtain approval from the Executive Director before performing overtime or compensation time, regardless of worksite location. Failure to do so may result in discipline or revocation of the teleworking privilege.

Employees who work remotely must report on-site when directed to do so by the Executive Director for the purpose of attending in-person meetings, in-person training, or for other reasons that they determine are required based on the operational needs of the Organization. Employees who work remotely will not be reimbursed for travel between their home and their on-site office location nor will such time be considered hours worked.

Work Environment:

The employee is responsible for setting up or establishing a suitable work environment for purposes of working remotely. The area should be free from obvious safety hazards and suitable for the type of work being performed by the employee.

The Alternate Worksite should provide the employee the ability to perform the duties and responsibilities at a proficiency level equal to or greater than when performed at the Primary Worksite.

Employees must ensure that all Bond Bank-issued equipment is maintained in a safe and secure manner and immediately returned upon request, termination of the Remote work arrangement, and/or termination of employment.

Work-related office supplies may be provided to Telework employees and obtained at the Primary Worksite. Telework employees will not be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses for supplies unless prior approval from the Executive Director.  Employees are responsible for the cost of maintenance, repair, and operation of personal equipment not provided by the Bond Bank.

Security and Safety:

Consistent with the Bond Bank’s expectation of information security for employees who have a physical presence working at the office, employees working remotely will be expected to ensure the protection of confidential information accessible while working from home.  The employee is also expected to adhere to all Bond Bank policies concerning information security and technology use.

Employees are expected to maintain a home workspace that is free from safety hazards and other dangers to the employee and Bond Bank-issued equipment. Employees working remotely are covered by workers’ compensation for job-related injuries that occur in the course and scope of employment. When the employee is working from home, workers’ compensation does not cover injuries that are not job related and the Bond Bank assumes no liability for injuries to the employee or others occurring in the employee’s workspace outside the agreed-upon work hours. Further, the Bond Bank is not liable for loss, destruction, or personal injury that may occur in or to the employee’s home and/or non-employee property. This includes family members, visitors, or others that become injured within or around the employee’s home. Employees are responsible for the timely reporting of workers’ compensation injuries to the Executive Director immediately.   The Bond Bank reserves the right, upon reasonable notice to the employee, to inspect the employee’s designated home workspace to ensure that it is free from safety hazards and other potential dangers to the employee. Further, as part of this Remote Work Agreement, the employee agrees that upon the report of a workers’ compensation injury, the Bond Bank may immediately inspect the employee’s designated home workspace as part of its investigation of any such claims.

Responsibilities:

The Executive Director is responsible for setting job expectations and completing performance evaluations. If telework negatively impacts performance, an employee’s Telework plan may be suspended or terminated.  

  1. When evaluating an employee while participating in remote work, the Executive Director should consider whether the employee has demonstrated the ability to:
  • Prioritize work to meet deadlines
  •        Accomplish job duties with minimal supervision
  • Communicate effectively with clients, stakeholders, supervisors, and team members
  •        Manage time effectively; and that
  • Operational demands are unaffected and met without an impact to overtime or to other employees.

 

  1. Set clear expectations with your staff by creating a communication plan and regularly checking in. Audit non-exempt employee time records regularly to confirm compliance and accuracy.

 

  1. Review the remote work plan with the employee at least quarterly to discuss the success/shortcomings.

Termination or Suspension of Agreement:

An employee’s remote working assignment is at the sole discretion of the Bond Bank. The Bond Bank reserves the right to modify, suspend or terminate such agreement with five (5) days’ notice, at any time for any reason. As such, no employee is entitled to or guaranteed the opportunity to work remotely. The Bond Bank further reserves the right to terminate an employee’s remote work arrangement with five (5) days’ notice in the event that the employee fails to maintain satisfactory performance as determined by the Executive Director.  The Bond Bank will not be held responsible for costs, damages, or losses resulting from termination of an employee’s participation in the remote working program. The Remote Work Agreement is not a contract of employment and may not be construed as such.

 

Remote Work Policy Approved 9/20/22