麻豆社

University Policies

Remote Work Policy

Approval Date: October 7, 2025
Responsible Office: Human Resources
Responsible Administrator: Vice President for Finance and Administration
Approved By: President

SCOPE (WHO SHOULD READ THIS POLICY)

Exempt/non-exempt administrative professionals, faculty and other academic personnel, and civil service staff.

REASON FOR POLICY

Remote work is designed to support a strategy that maximizes productivity and performance (regardless of the work location), sustains the recruitment and retention of a highly qualified workforce by enhancing work/life balance, and promotes administrative efficiencies.聽

POLICY STATEMENT

麻豆社 Illinois University supports the use of remote work arrangements within the bounds of good public practice and business operations. 聽It should be incorporated into the continuity of operations and is designed for employees who fill job classifications/positions that have been determined to be eligible for such an arrangement. 聽Remote work is not an option for all University positions.

Any remote work request is guided by this policy and is meant to work in accordance with other relevant laws, policies, and collective bargaining agreements. 聽It is executed on a case-by-case basis between the employee and the supervisor with consultation from Human Resources and subsequent appropriate approvals.

Note: In certain instances, temporary schedule adjustments may occur because of family/medical leave concerns, emergency situations, etc. 聽Those temporary adjustments and/or changes to schedules and agreements are not covered by this policy and should be documented in accordance with appropriate University policies and procedures.

Requests for remote work arising from medical need, or based on an accommodation sought under the Americans with Disabilities Act, must first be filed with the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA) using a Request for Reasonable Accommodation form. The EOA process must be completed before a Remote Work Agreement can be drafted.聽

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply as used in this policy:聽

  • Primary Workplace: The employee's usual and customary workplace, typically associated with an on-campus location. Employees hired to work primarily in a location other than the Macomb or Quad Cities campuses are not considered remote employees subject to this policy.
  • Alternate Workplace: A work site other than the employee's primary workplace. This is ordinarily the employee's primary residence.
  • Workspace: A location within the alternate workplace that is dedicated to the purpose of remote work, and not a place at which meetings would be conducted in person.
  • Remote Work: A work arrangement, authorized in accordance with this policy, that involves an employee regularly, periodically, or temporarily working from an alternate work location other than a campus location by use of an electronic connection between the alternate work location and the employee鈥檚 primary office at the campus location.
  • Supervisor: The individual responsible for overseeing remote work performed by an employee. Typically, the supervisor will be the person who has the responsibility for directing the employee on a regular basis (including daily if necessary) and for monitoring the overall performance and success of the employee.
  • Remote Work Agreement:聽The signed document, not greater than 12 months in duration, that outlines the understanding between the school/department and the employee regarding the remote work arrangement, including the days and times for remote work. The document outlines the mandatory policies in effect and must be signed by all parties prior to the start of any remote work. A supervisor may elect, or the employee may request, to revise or rescind the terms of the agreement whenever a need arises. In addition, the terms of the Remote Work Agreement should be reviewed and revised, if necessary, when there is a change in supervisor, job responsibilities, or change in work circumstances or performance. The employee must acknowledge by signature that they have read and agree to the terms of the policies and items listed in the agreement. Any employee who works remotely must have an approved Remote Work Agreement on file with Human Resources.

POLICY

There are three categories of remote work arrangements:

  • Regular, recurring remote work arrangements may be either 100% remote or partially remote (hybrid, such as one or two days per week and/or part of each workday). Such arrangements require the employee and their supervisor to complete the Remote Work Agreement.
  • Periodic, intermittent remote work arrangements are permitted under this policy. For purposes of this policy, this refers to a time-frame of seven (7) calendar days or more. Such arrangements require documentation but do not require the completion of a Remote Work Agreement. Documentation of these arrangements may be prospective or retrospective in the form of an email or other notation which indicates supervisor approval. Generally speaking, periodic, intermittent remote work arrangements are for less than one month in duration.
  • Temporary or emergency remote work arrangements may be used during short-term illness (not exceeding seven (7) calendar days), transportation emergency due to weather, natural disaster, or pandemic health crises. Supervisor approval, or directive from the University administration, is required. Such arrangements require documentation but do not require the completion of a Remote Work Agreement.聽
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

Employees eligible for remote work include exempt/non-exempt administrative professionals, faculty and other academic personnel, and civil service staff, in an eligible position, who have been identified by the employee's supervisor as satisfactorily meeting performance standards, terms, and conditions for employment of their position. It is important to note that just because an employee is eligible for remote work does not mean that the employee will automatically be granted approval. Approval is granted in accordance with the Procedures outlined below. At a minimum, eligible employees must have:

  • no active formal disciplinary actions on file for the current or immediately preceding annual review period;
  • demonstrated ability to develop regular routines and meet deadlines; and
  • demonstrated ability to adapt to changing routines and environments and to understand the need to adjust and attend work in person when necessary.
ELIGIBLE POSITIONS

Eligible positions are those that can be performed independently of others, where responsibilities can be arranged so that there is no difference in the level of service or access provided. The eligibility of a position for remote work may change depending on circumstances. Things that are generally true about these positions include:

  • minimal requirements for direct supervision of other employees;
  • minimal direct contact with students, faculty, staff, or visitors;
  • minimal requirements for special equipment or access to on-campus resources;
  • ability to define tasks with measurable work activities and objectives.

Eligible employees do not include student employees, extra-help employees, or interns. Probationary employees will not be eligible for remote work except when such work is determined to be in the best interest of the University.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The conditions of remote employment remain the same as if the employee were working from their primary workplace. Employee salary, benefits, and employer-sponsored insurance coverage will not change as a result of remote work. The employee shall adhere to all policies, rules, and regulations of the University and the state of Illinois while working from a remote location. The employee agrees not to conduct personal business during the hours agreed upon in the Remote Work Agreement.

A remote work arrangement does not alter an employee鈥檚 work relationship with the University, nor does it relieve an employee from the obligation to observe all applicable University rules, policies, and procedures. All existing terms and conditions of employment (including, but not limited to, the position description, salary, benefits, vacation, sick leave, and overtime) remain the same as if the employee worked only at their primary workplace. The alternate workplace for any employee or position being considered for remote work must be located within the United States in order to comply with all federal, state, and local payroll withholding taxes and wage requirements. Out-of-state remote work is complex due to employment laws, taxation rules, data privacy and cybersecurity risks, and other compliance requirements in other states. Approval of an alternate workplace outside of the states of Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin will need to be approved by Human Resources and Payroll prior to the start of any employment agreement or remote work arrangement.

The employee's duties, obligations, responsibilities, and performance expectations remain the same under a Remote Work Agreement as if the employee were working at their primary workplace. The employee shall communicate with their supervisor to receive assignments, review work progress, and complete work as often as the supervisor determines to be necessary.

Meetings with students, co-workers, or others conducting business with the University shall not be held in person in a remote employee鈥檚 home.

Employees may be required to report to the employee鈥檚 primary workplace to conduct business (e.g., meetings, visits, professional development) with reasonable notice.

While working remotely, the employee must be reachable and responsive via telephone, network access, or e-mail during agreed-upon work hours. The employee and supervisor will agree on how to handle work-related telephone messages, including the feasibility of having access to a cell phone.

Approval is granted only after the employee鈥檚 supervisor, the department head, and Human Resources have signed the paperwork granting approval. For ASPs and faculty members, if the request is longer than one semester, approval must first be granted by the dean and provost/respective vice president. If approval of a Remote Work Agreement is granted, the supervisor will inform the employee and initiate steps to establish an agreement. If approval is denied, the supervisor will inform the employee of the reasons for not proceeding with the establishment of a Remote Work Agreement.

Remote work is a privilege and not a right. The University may, in its discretion, discontinue a Remote Work Agreement at any time with advance notice of at least 15 working days, or as otherwise agreed upon in the Remote Work Agreement. Employees who refuse to return to their primary workplace may be subject to discipline and/or dismissal under applicable University policies.

WORKSPACE

As a condition of an approved Remote Work Agreement, the employee must verify the remote workspace is safe and suitable for purposes of the employee's work. The department may deny an employee the opportunity to work remotely if the alternate workspace if not conducive to productive work.

An employee approved to work remotely shall be responsible for setting up an appropriate work environment within the alternate workplace. The institution will not be responsible for any cost associated with the setup of the workspace. An employee will be required to confirm that they have met the reasonable standards to include health and safety requirements (including an ergonomically sound workstation) and promise to maintain it in working condition for the duration of the Remote Work Agreement.

An employee's alternate workspace must be specified in the Remote Work Agreement. If the address changes from the initial Remote Work Agreement, a new form must be completed.

Non-work-related events and activities shall not be conducted during work at the alternate workspace, nor should they be allowed to disrupt or interfere with work at the alternate workspace.

A Remote Work Agreement is not a substitute for childcare, dependent care, or elder care. The employee shall continue to arrange for childcare, dependent care, or elder care to the same extent as if the employee were working at the primary workplace.

WORK HOURS

Each employee who works remotely is required to maintain the same hours of work as would be performed were the employee working on campus unless an accommodation has been approved and documentation of that accommodation has been submitted with the request. If the employee needs a modification to the established schedule, including time off, normal procedures to make the request should be followed. Requests for vacation or sick leave must be made consistent with established department policies and procedures. An employee鈥檚 activities outside the time of work or outside the place designated for work will be deemed to be in the employee鈥檚 own personal time and place, unconnected with work activities.

A non-exempt employee (as outlined by Fair Labor Standards Act) shall not work overtime without prior supervisory approval. If the employee works overtime that has been approved in advance, compensation or compensatory time off will be provided in accordance with eligibility guidelines and applicable laws and policies. The employee understands that failure to obtain prior approval for overtime work may result in the discontinuance of working remotely and other appropriate disciplinary action.

A consistent schedule of remote work hours and days is desirable to ensure regular and predictable contact with University staff and others. For some positions, more flexibility in work hours and days is feasible. A specific work schedule will be stated in the Remote Work Agreement. Exceptions will be made when an employee's presence is required for a function or activity that cannot reasonably be rescheduled.

PROCEDURES

  1. Employees must request remote work from their supervisor.
  2. Supervisor must review the remote work policy with the employee, and must review the employee's job description and prior work history to determine eligibility.
  3. Employees must complete the Remote Work Agreement and return it to the supervisor.
  4. Supervisor must review the supervisor responsibilities section in the policy to understand expectations.
  5. Supervisor must review the Suitability Assessment in this policy to determine if remote work suits the employee.
  6. Supervisor must sign the employee鈥檚 Remote Work Agreement, indicating approval or denial.
  7. For employees subject to the UPI Collective Bargaining Agreement (faculty and ASPs), remote work may be granted for a single semester with the department chair鈥檚/supervisor's approval, but will require the approval of the department chair/supervisor, the respective dean, and the Provost鈥檚 Office/respective Vice-President for a remote work agreement intended to extend beyond one semester.
  8. For employees not subject聽to UPI Collective Bargaining Agreement,聽a remote work agreement will require the approval of the supervisor, the unit head, and the respective vice-president. Direct reports to the president require only the president鈥檚 approval.
  9. Human Resources will review all remote work requests for eligibility for employees not subject to UPI鈥檚 Collective Bargaining Agreement.聽If additional information is needed, Human Resources will reach out to the employee directly for clarification.
  10. Human Resources will keep the original copies of the request, and send the approved/denied and final copy to the employee and supervisor.
  11. Employees must re-submit a new request every fiscal year, if they wish to continue remote work.

RESPONSIBILITIES (Implementation and Enforcement)

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Remote work on a scheduled and on-going basis may not be suitable for all employees and/or positions, but may be implemented as a work option for eligible employees based on specific criteria and procedures consistently applied throughout the department. A supervisor cannot require an employee to work remotely unless doing so is a necessary component of the position or is mandated in an emergency by the University. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to review all criteria in the assessment of remote work to determine if remote work is feasible for each employee.

Supervisors shall be responsible for the following:

  • establishing expectations for and monitoring employee performance.
  • identifying eligible positions suitable for remote work.
  • identifying eligible employees.
  • determining if equipment will be provided to the employee to use at home.
  • establishing how the employee will maintain regular contact with office coworkers and supervisors.
  • determining how the department will handle restricted access materials, security issues, and taking electronic or paper records from the primary workplace.
  • ensuring that practices are consistent and compliant with institutional policy and state and federal law regarding the use and security of technology.
  • ensuring that individual work schedules and reporting for non-exempt employees comply with Fair Labor Standards Act regulations.
  • ensuring that each employee's request to work remotely is considered in relation to the department's operating and customer needs.
  • ensuring that benefit time (vacation/sick/compensatory) will be requested and reported consistently with already established departmental practice.
  • reviewing Remote Work Suitability Assessment before signing the Remote Work Agreement.
  • ensuring a Remote Work Agreement is completed and approved prior to the start of any remote work.
Suitability Assessment

A supervisor who receives a request for remote work should consider each of the following questions:

  • Does the Remote Work Agreement serve the best interest of the University, maintain operational efficiencies, and enhance the productivity of both the department and the employee?
  • Does the position require ongoing access to equipment, face-to-face contact with students or staff, or an on-campus presence?
  • Are there any concerns with the employee鈥檚 performance history?
  • Does the employee possess the appropriate time management, communication, and computer skills to perform their duties remotely?
  • Is performance able to be measured during remote work?
  • Is the supervisor comfortable with monitoring the employee鈥檚 work performance remotely, and does the supervisor trust the employee to work responsibly in a remote setting?
  • Can the employee鈥檚 team sustain efficiency and engagement in a remote work environment?
  • Is the employee鈥檚 remote work address located in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, or Wisconsin? If no 鈥� Human Resources will need approval from Payroll to approve the request.

If the response to any of these questions is no, remote work may not be suitable for this employee. Such a determination should be considered seriously prior to moving forward with a Remote Work Agreement.

UNIVERSITY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AT ALTERNATE WORKPLACE

Equipment and supplies can be made available by the University on a case-by-case basis depending on the work to be done and the availability of such equipment and supplies within the department, college, or division. Equipment removed from University premises must be recorded and approved in accordance with the procedures defined by the University.

Care of University-owned equipment and supplies is the responsibility of the employee.

The employee agrees to return such items to their appropriate campus location when no longer needed for the remote work assignment, or when otherwise requested by the appropriate official.

Equipment owned or provided by the employee is used at no cost or risk to the University and is maintained by the employee. Exceptions to this should be prearranged, documented, and approved by the supervisor and the appropriate vice president.

All equipment used under a Remote Work Agreement, independent of location or ownership, that stores, processes, or accesses University records or data hosted at any location, must comply with the all relevant laws and University policies. The employee is responsible for operating costs, home maintenance, or any other incidental costs (e.g., utilities) associated with the use of an alternate workplace, including if the alternate workplace is in the employee鈥檚 residence.

The employee is responsible for maintaining confidentiality and security at the alternate workplace, as the employee would be at the primary workplace. The employee must protect the security and integrity of data, information, paper files, and access to agency computer systems. All institutional policies on Information Technology and Internet and Technology Use apply to remote work, as they would in the primary workplace including, but not limited to, the University鈥檚 Sensitive Data Handling Procedures policy.

The University will not be responsible for installation or ongoing operating costs associated with the employee鈥檚 alternate workspace, including but not limited to home maintenance, digital subscriber line (DSL), basic telephone service, cable, cell phone bills, internet, utilities, any associated incidental costs (such as property or liability insurance), or other incidental expenses (e.g., utilities, cleaning services).

LOST, STOLEN, OR DAMAGED UNIVERSITY EQUIPMENT

If University equipment is lost, stolen, or damaged, the employee agrees to participate in any investigation. The employee also agrees that they may be financially responsible for the loss (including signing appropriate paperwork for collecting on the loss), and agrees, if applicable, to include the loss of University equipment in their homeowner鈥檚/renter鈥檚 insurance claim. Any applicable payment from the employee鈥檚 insurance company shall be remitted to the University through the employee鈥檚 supervisor.

The employee must report all lost or stolen equipment promptly to their supervisor, University Technology, and University Risk Management. The University will need to ensure and/or determine the security of University records or data that may be present on the equipment, and University Risk Management will be required to provide prompt notice of the loss to University cyber security and liability insurers.

The University is not liable for damages to the employee's property that may result from participating in remote work.

INJURY DURING PREDETERMINED WORK-AT-HOME SCHEDULE

Workers鈥� Compensation laws may apply if the employee is injured while performing official duties at the alternate workplace. An employee who suffers an injury should follow the University鈥檚 process for reporting that injury. The University is not liable for other property damage or bodily injury that results from participation in a remote work arrangement.

FORMS

Related Policies (if applicable)

Revision History

  • Original: June 8, 2022
  • Revision: October 7, 2025