NP 1.13 Flex and Remote Work Guidelines

NJC Mission:  Northeastern Junior College is committed to developing excellence in all of our students by instilling knowledge, advancing skills, and providing opportunities for educational transfer and to enter the workforce successfully. 

Focus on Student Success:   NJC’s primary focus is student success.  We are dedicated to the highest quality education and service to all students by providing an environment that meets their needs.  We are sensitive to the fact that many students need individualized, in-person attention while others are highly successful in a virtual environment.  We also realize that not all students have the resources necessary to function in a virtual environment and rely on the college to provide necessary services in-person.   

Focus on Employees:  NJC is committed to developing and retaining a skilled workforce utilizing every process available to support employee needs.  We must also ensure consistency, equity, and adherence to the State Board for Colorado Community Colleges and Occupational Education (SBCCOE) and Colorado Community College System (CCCS) Policies.  During the pandemic, the college learned how to better accommodate flexible work needs and serve students through multiple resources and methods. 

NJC recognizes that the workplace is changing and that it must adapt to the changing needs of our employees.  Employees are our greatest asset and it is our desire to provide the best working environment that meets the changing needs of the workforce while keeping student success as the focus. 

Modern College Dynamics:  Today’s students and employees operate in a complex environment, balancing many work-life priorities.   The need for flexible work plans may be a result of many factors, some of which are listed below: 

• Changes to school schedules, quarantines
• Respond to student needs outside of standard work hours of 8:00 am-5:00 pm
• Ability to focus on project/work due to fewer distractions
• More flexibility to ensure work-life balance
• Increase morale
• Reduce carbon omissions
• Attract new employees
• Greater participation in meetings
• Better engagement with branch campuses
• Reduced stress

Because of the unique nature of this dynamic environment and each individual, flexible work requires close cooperation between employees and supervisors.     Some considerations include:

• Individualized and supervisor managed plans
• Consideration of the needs of students and the role we have in preparing them for the workforce and providing role models for them as they enter the workforce and jobs that may not provide the opportunity for remote work or flex scheduling
• Consideration of the impact on other employees and college functions

Important definitions:

• Standard Workweek: Saturday 12:01 a.m. through Friday at midnight.
• Core operating hours:  These are the hours of operation that the college must be open.  They are 8:00 a.m. to 5, p.m. Monday through Friday and offices must be open and operational during those hours.
• Regular Work Schedule:  The standard work hours that an employee is expected to work on a regular and ongoing basis. This will be Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. unless an alternate schedule has been approved.
• Alternate Work Schedule: A regular and ongoing schedule other than Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding faculty, which is implemented in a way that does not negatively impact business operations. This requires prior approval before implementation and must be documented in the Human Resources Office.
• Flex Scheduling: Altering of a regular work schedule on a temporary basis, directed by or approved by the supervisor, during the standard workweek in order to address specific, short-term business needs, address employee needs, or to minimize overtime hours. This represents a one-time change to a schedule and not an alternate schedule. This is at the supervisor’s discretion and supervisors should maintain records of such changes in the event that time records are in question.
• Remote Work:  Working from an alternate location that is not a NJC office or site.  This means that the individual is not available at a NJC location in-person and will be connecting in a virtual environment. 

Operating Guidelines/Protocol: 

Not every position will permit flex/remote work, and some individuals may not prefer flex/remote work.  It is important to remember that this is an option available to our team under certain conditions. Use of any of the options below will not be approved solely for the purpose of engaging in secondary employment and the College reserves the right to rescind any approved option at any time. 

NJC will implement these guidelines and monitor its success and challenges over the 2022-2023 academic year in order to make necessary adjustments before beginning the formal adoption process to replace our current operating protocol.   Appendix (B) outlines the evaluation plan. This document may require updating as we operate in a non-pandemic environment. 

Alternate work schedules:  Alternate work schedules will only be approved when there is confirmation by the supervisor that there is no negative impact on business operations and that offices are covered during core hours.  Supervisors must not only consider the needs of the employee requesting an alternate schedule, but also the impact on other employees both in the department and across the college.   Supervisors are not required to endorse or support a request for alternate work schedule. 

Flex scheduling:  Flex scheduling is already available under the current Operating Protocol.  Supervisors may approve schedule changes within a workday or workweek by allowing a flexible start/end time or permitting employees to work through the lunch hour in order to leave early, come in late, or go to an appointment during the workday.  Supervisors may also allow flexible scheduling when employees have official college business that is outside of regular work hours, such as evening or weekend events.  If all staff in an office must attend an event outside of regular work hours, supervisors should flex employee hours to create the least disruption to the regular work hours.

Remote work:  The College will implement a 24 in-person/16 remote option for all eligible faculty and staff.  Within the 16 hours of remote work, only 8 can be used on a Monday or Friday, with the remaining 8 used Tuesday through Thursday.  The College recognizes that remote work options can have a number of benefits, as summarized above, but we also value the benefit to our students and employees of in-person services, interactions, and collaboration.  We also recognize that many positions do not have the privilege to work in a remote environment.  The college recognizes that supervisors must have the ability to manage their operations to meet the needs of our students, college, and colleagues.  Therefore, with the approval of their supervisor and second-level supervisor, eligible employees may work remotely up to 16 hours per week.  Faculty and staff who are able to work remotely within the guidelines provided below will be required to work a minimum of 24 hours (three regular days) in-person and may work up to 16 hours (two regular days) remotely.  For those positions that are not able to work remotely, supervisors may consider alternate work schedules or flex scheduling to address employee needs. 

The College also recognizes that there are positions that may be able to work remotely on a regular basis, but believes in the value and benefit working directly with students and staff and being engaged in the campus culture.  Only the President may approve an exception to the remote guidelines and only when a business need cannot be met through any other means.

1. Faculty will be required to teach from a classroom except in limited circumstances such as when the inclement weather policy is activated, during required quarantine, or situations approved by the Chair. 
2. Faculty are required to offer in-person office hours.

Determining if a position is suitable for remote work:

Remote work may be a regular and ongoing work arrangement or it may be utilized on an as-needed basis (i.e, need to work on a specific project, addressing school closures, elder care needs, home or pet issues, etc.) but no more than 16 hours per workweek.

A position can be considered suitable for remote work if some or most of its responsibilities can be performed away from the regular work location. The change in work location should not impact productivity, customer service, operational efficiency, or team collaboration. The determination should be first based on the type of work, not employee need.

Each position should be considered individually, per the responsibilities of the position, to determine if the work can be done outside of the regular work location.  IT ability and access to high-speed internet networks also play a large part in determining remote work ability.

• Does the employee have access to the needed equipment to perform their job functions?
• Does the employee have access to high-speed internet to be able to complete their tasks, and communicate with their supervisor and team?
• Do the employee’s core responsibilities require access to equipment, materials, and files that can only be accessed on site?
• Is the employee required to be on-site for face-to-face meetings with supervisors, other employees, students, or customers? Or can this contact be done effectively virtually?

Remote Site Equipment and Setup:

Northeastern Junior College will not duplicate equipment for a remote work employee who works remote.

Printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines, shredders, white boards, office chairs, printer/copier supplies (ink, paper, etc) and other traditional office supplies will be located at the College Office.  Remote work employees that wish to have these items at their remote site will need to purchase them with their own resources. Remote workers will have access to essential supplies such as paper, pens, and notepads, necessary to perform their job from their regular office.

Remote work employees are expected to establish for themselves an adequate workspace that allows the employee to work comfortably with appropriate ergonomic considerations.

Any employee wishing to request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact Human Resources for the necessary request forms. Accommodations under the ADA will be evaluated for approval through an interactive process between NJC and the employee. To ensure fair and consistent, documented accommodations, supervisors should not approve special accommodations for employees outside of this process.

Phone and Internet Access:

Full-time employees are assigned an office telephone number. Remote work employees must use a software-based telephone to make and receive phone calls via their laptop or mobile device.  Using this software will ensure calls are answered while working remotely.  Employees must answer phones even when remote and out of office messages for remote work is not acceptable. 

High-speed internet access is required to work remotely. The remote employee must provide their own internet connectivity. The Internet Service Provider (ISP) that they choose must be able to provide a minimum download speed of 10Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 5Mbps. Higher speeds in both directions are strongly recommended. IT can offer advice when choosing or changing an ISP; however, they are unable to assist with home network or ISP issues.

Employees are expected to utilize and respond to email whether working on-campus or remotely.  Open and frequent communication is necessary between remote workers, in-office workers and students. 

While working remotely, employees may not utilize out-of-office messages but are expected to respond to email in a timely manner, just as they would working from their office.  Employees should utilize the out-of-office function in email when they are away from the college or on leave and will not be responding to email until they return. 

Security of Information:

All employees, including those working in remote locations, must adhere to all applicable security procedures to ensure confidentiality and security of data. Employees and supervisors should familiarize themselves with Series 6 – Cyber Security Board Policies and System Procedures for requirements around acceptable use, information management, and security.

Employee's remote work computer shall be in compliance with all CCCS guidelines for uses of hardware and software including virus protection software, licensing provisions, system security and passwords.  Employees using a NJC computer in a remote location are responsible for ensuring that the computer is receiving appropriate updates, which includes bringing it to the college and connecting to the network as directed by IT.

The employee will protect all confidential documents from unauthorized access. This may require having access to secure file drawers or cabinets at the remote work site.

All products, documents and records that are used, developed, or revised while working remotely remain the property of Northeastern Junior College.

Determine the suitability of specific employees who are interested in remote working

Once it has been determined that all or some of the position responsibilities can be performed outside of the regular work environment, it must be identified if the employee in this position is compatible to remote work.

This must be considered on a case-by-case basis for current employees and should be considered when interviewing candidates for a position.  The remote work approval or denial determination is made by the employee’s supervisor and/or second-level supervisor. This determination should be made from an employee’s individualized request based on the supervisor’s assessment of the position’s and employee’s suitability for remote work.  Supervisors can use the Remote Work Suitability Assessment (See Below), when assessing applicability of remote work requests.

Factors for this determination should include but are not limited to:

• The employee must continue to live and work from the State of Colorado. Remote work locations must be within Colorado.  No employee is authorized, and no supervisor may approve, working remotely from any location outside of Colorado, even on a temporary basis.  Accessing the network and responding to email while traveling on official College business (i.e. a conference or other college approved activity) is not considered remote work.  However, traveling to another location outside of Colorado on personal business is considered remote work and will not be approved and appropriate leave must be submitted.
• The employee’s most recent performance history (including disciplinary action). Any employee who received an overall performance rating of “Needs Improvement” in the most recent review, received a formal letter of reprimand in the past year, is currently subject to a performance improvement plan, or is currently under a corrective or disciplinary action, is ineligible to participate in remote work arrangements.  New employees may not be eligible for flex/remote work until they have demonstrated the necessary skills and ability to work independently in a flex/remote environment (typically after at least 90 days on the job). 
• The employee’s time management and organizational skills.
• Does the employee have the necessary computer skills to complete their required job functions outside of the office?
• Does the employee understand their role and expectations, and require little supervision to complete their tasks?
• Is the employee a self-starter and consistently meets deadlines?

A few things to keep in mind:

• If the employee is not well suited for remote work or is denied based on a previously documented performance issue, it is required the supervisor communicate that reasoning with the employee.
• In this instance, a discussion about job performance and growth opportunities should be had between the employee and their supervisor before the option for remote work can be re-assessed in the future.
• Supervisors should keep documentation of the alternative work arrangement agreement approvals and denials for each employee and provide a copy to Human Resources.
• As a supervisor, if you are unsure of how to approach this conversation with your employee, please contact Human Resources for guidance.
• The employee is in charge of setting up their workspace in a remote work environment. This includes adequate access to the internet and a quiet place (with minimal distractions) for calls or video meetings.
• If employees experience any technical issues or have concerns, they are welcome to reach out to IT for assistance or guidance.
• Employees should be cognizant of how their environment appears during video meetings.
• Employees must work with supervisors to establish a standard work schedule and expectations for communication standards, including during virtual meetings.

Supervisor Responsibility to Ensure Remote Work Success

• A supervisor should consider their own management and supervision style, as well as their level of trust in the employee to perform their assigned job duties in a remote work environment.  Keep in mind that trust issues with employees may not be resolved by having them report to the regular work location and alternative methods for performance management may be more effective than restricting remote work.
• Ensure employees use sick and annual leave as appropriate.
• Develop a standard work schedule and be clear what flexibility is available and how it will be requested and managed
• Use the Remote Work Suitability Assessment to gauge how remote work fits the employee, supervisor, and position together.
• Supervisors should also consider the impacts of team building with a remote workforce.
• Ensure employees can stay connected with their teams.
• Ensure the change in work location does not impact productivity, customer service, operational efficiency, or team collaboration.

• Ensure remote work arrangements do not result in work being shifted to other employees or adversely impact productivity of others. 
• Manage childcare/eldercare needs:  Flexibility with childcare and eldercare may be granted when working in an alternate location provided it does not impact the employee’s performance. An example might be adjusting work hours such that an employee starts their workday at 10 am to allow time for childcare/eldercare until a provider arrives for the day.  When an employee is actively caring for a child or family member, that time is not considered work time; appropriate leave should be used during those times.
• Balance of presence in virtual and on-site meetings:  Supervisors should set clear expectations on how employees should participate in meetings. WebEx should continue to be used to provide all meeting attendees the opportunity to participate.
• Set expectations for focused, uninterrupted time for completing job responsibilities and attending meetings:  If an employee is unable to set boundaries for work time, then the employee is expected to use leave.
• Be clear that performance management expectations and metrics of monitoring work performance will not change as a result of remote work.

Tips for entering into an Alternative Work Arrangement Agreement

Be Specific:

After determining that both the position and employee are suitable for remote work it is time to create a remote work arrangement agreement that establishes the specifics.

This should include, but is not limited to:

• Days of the week that the employee can remote work.
• Expectations of the level of communication and responsiveness expected on remote workdays. This should be from both the employee and the supervisor.
• Expectations of attendance for meetings and other interactions across the College and with customers.
• Any other expectations of work to be done and metrics on how this work will be recorded.

Additionally, expectations for communication between both the employee and supervisor should be identified and discussed ahead of time.

These topics should include:

• Balance of presence in virtual and on-site meetings.
• Performance management expectations and metrics of monitoring work performance.
• Physical space arrangement and accommodations including what technology is necessary to perform work functions outside of the office.
• Managing various work styles including communication expectations from both supervisor and employee.
• Mediums to be considered in maintaining communication including WebEx, Zoom, email, phone, Microsoft Teams, etc.
• Balance of employee childcare or eldercare needs. Remote work is not designed to allow an employee to stay home and provide childcare/eldercare while simultaneously working.  However, flex/remote work may provide scheduling flexibility to assist an employee in balancing work with childcare or eldercare.
• Although an individual employee's schedule may be modified to accommodate needs, the focus of the arrangement must remain on job performance and meeting business demands. Prospective remote workers are encouraged to discuss expectations of remote work with family members prior to entering a trial period.

Copies of the agreement will be maintained by the supervisor, employee and HR.

Conditions of Employment:

• Performance expectations and evaluations will not change as a result of remote work.
• Conditions of employment will remain the same, and expectations should be clear and measurable. The supervisor will evaluate employee’s job performance in accordance with applicable performance planning and evaluation.
• Salary and benefits will not be affected by remote work.
• Arrangements that assure adequate communication between employee, co-workers, supervisor, and customers must be established. For example:
  • Establish regular check-in times or plans to email when workday begins and ends; these check-ins should not be used as a means to track work time but for maintaining productivity and collaboration with employees.
  • Use shared calendars to post schedules of remote workers, on-site colleagues, and supervisors.
  • Use basic communication tools such as phone, email, and/or instant messaging, and consider collaborative tools such as audio and video conferencing.
  • Coordinate staff meetings and remote work schedules, promoting team cohesion and social interaction; it may be necessary for the remote worker to come to the workplace for such events.
• The remote work approval does not automatically go with an employee in a new position or apply when a position previously done via remote work is assumed by a new employee or supervisor. A new agreement should be requested and reviewed when the above situations occur.

Hours of Work:

• The required number of work hours will not change, and employees are responsible for appropriately reporting time worked, leave used, and for adhering to College and state attendance policies.
• Time worked for overtime eligible employees will be treated no differently for remote employees than hours worked at the regular work location. Supervisors must approve any overtime in advance. Failure to get necessary approval for overtime may result in termination of the remote work option and/or disciplinary action.
• For overtime eligible employees, hours worked must be recorded just as they would be when working at the regular work location. Any time spent working, including checking emails, responding to work phone calls, etc. is considered work time and must be recorded.  
• Sick/annual leave is recorded based on the number of hours an employee is scheduled to work on the day they use the leave, whether they are at the office or remote work location.
• Paid holidays will count as 8 hours.
• Supervisors may require employees to report to an alternative work location for work-related events or may meet with them at an alternate location, as needed.
• Remote work is not to be used in place of sick or annual leave; however, in consultation with Human Resources, a department may choose to offer remote work arrangements as an opportunity for partial or full return to work based on policy and procedure and the criteria normally applied to decisions regarding the approval of temporary remote work.

Safety:

• NJC does not assume responsibility for injury to any persons other than the remote worker arising out of duties at the remote work site during the standard work schedule.
• Employees are covered by the Workers’ Compensation Program if injured while performing official duties at the regular work location or an alternate work location and must immediately notify their supervisor of an injury sustained at a remote work site and complete any necessary reports. Once an employee reports a job-related injury, the supervisor or department personnel should contact Human Resources to file a report.

Remote Work Suitability Assessment

Employee Name:                                                                                                Title:                                                                     Date:

This form is not required for faculty positions.  This assessment is designed to assist supervisors in determining the feasibility of a regular and on-going remote work arrangement and is not required to be submitted. The supervisor and employee independently measure how well the employee and the proposed remote work meet each criterion. If the supervisor and employee assessments do not agree, this is an opportunity for further discussion. It is the supervisor’s assessment that will be used to determine if employees are candidates for remote work. For new employees, the supervisor can use responses to interview questions and details from reference checks to complete their assessment of remote work eligibility.

5=Always        4=Usually        3=Sometimes         2=Seldom        1=Never