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Policy:Clinical Documentation Improvement Telecommuting Policy and & Agreement
SUPPORTIVE DATA: HR Policy # 1334
Parameters:
1. The telecommuting program is neither a universal employee right nor a universal employee benefit. The telecommuting program is a management option that is available to some employees when a mutually beneficial situation exists for HonorHealth and the employee.
Telecommuting contracts may be terminated at any time the beneficial situation ceases to exist
2. Every employee involved in the telecommuting program must agree to and complete the
Telecommuting Agreement, and sign the Confidentiality Policy andAgreement.
3. Employees who are on probation, corrective action, or disciplinary action shall not be eligiblefor the telecommuting program. Telecommuting will be restricted to experienced professionals (at least 1 year of CDI experience) with a proven track record that can consistently meet benchmarking standards
4. Telecommuting participants must not provide primary care during contractually agreed upon telecommuting hours for children or elders who would otherwise require a provider's care.
5. Employee salary, job responsibilities, benefits and company-sponsored insurance coverage will not change due to participation in the telecommuting program
6. The amount of time the employee is expected to work will not change due to participation it the telecommuting program. The employee will work their established work hours. Any modification to their schedule is to be approved by management and based on staffing needs.
7. Since the employee's home workspace is considered an extension of the HonorHealth space,HonorHealth's liability for job-related accidents will continue to exist during the understood and approved work hours. The employee agrees to notify the supervisor immediately of any accident or injury that occurs at the alternate work site and to complete any required forms.
Since participating in the telecommuting program will not include personal customer contact or interaction with people on official business at the alternate work site, injuries to a third party are not covered by HonorHealth.
8. The telecommuting participant must maintain a secure workspace. Worker’s compensation liability will be limited to this workspace as opposed to applying to all areas of the home. As this liability will extend to accidents that may occur at the alternate work site, the employer retains the right to make on-site inspections of this work area to ensure that safe work conditions exist and that security of equipment is maintained.
9. Employee must set aside a dedicated workspace for HonorHealth use. Employee must ensure that confidential material cannot be accessed or viewed by any unauthorized person during their working hours. The employee will not print out any PHI work related information. This includes,but is not limited to adaily census, work queues, completed queries etc..
10. The telecommuting participant needs to ensure that household noises are not audible as you conduct HonorHealth business by telephone from your home office, and your telephone conversations should not be audible to others, for privacy reasons. Therefore, you will need to isolate your work area from other household activity during the workday.
11. The telecommuting participant understands HonorHealth will not be liable for damages to his/her personal or real property while he/she is working at the approved alternate work site, unless damages are caused as a direct result of malfunctioning HonorHealth owned equipment.
12. HonorHealth will not purchase or reimburse a telecommuting participant for ergonomic furniture including chairs, answering machines, printers, or fax machines.
13. Out of pocket expenses for supplies normally available in the department will not be reimbursed.
14. HonorHealth will not reimburse the telecommuting participant for supplies purchased such as special networking equipment and glare screens.
15. HonorHealth will not reimburse the telecommuting participant for installation of an additional telephone line or internet connection.
16. Expenses not specifically covered above will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the appropriateness of the expense, other expenses reimbursed for similar non-telecommuting program positions and the overall budget.
17. The telecommuting participant understands that HonorHealth will not be responsible for any costs that are associated from the use of the telecommuting participant’s home as an alternate work site. For example, maintenance, insurance and utilities are not reimbursable.
17. The telecommuting participant agrees to follow the assigned work schedule, unless otherwise instructed. Benchmark metric standards will remain with an expected 10% increase in productivity rates on days when telecommuting. The telecommuting participant understands that a declinein performance may be grounds for canceling the telecommuting arrangement.
18. A downtime log will be kept by each employee. If the home system is expected to be down for over two hours, the employee will be required to come into the hospital to work their required hours. The employee is to notify management of any system issues within 15 minutes.
20. The telecommuting participant agrees to protect HonorHealth records and PHI from unauthorized disclosure or damage and sign a confidentiality statement. The employee agrees to lock their workstation when not monitoring the computer.
21.The telecommuting participant will respond to work related communication, such as E Mails, phone calls or texts, within 30 minutes.
23. The telecommuting employee must attend education meetings and staff meetings scheduled at their system, on site where the meeting is being held.
24. Nothing in this agreement precludes HonorHealth from taking any appropriate disciplinary or adverse action against an employee who fails to comply with the provisions of this agreement.
EQUIPMENT
1. HonorHealth will provide key fobs or Soft tokens in order for staff members to participate in thetelecommuting program.
2. Any equipment originally provided by HonorHealth, such as laptops remains the property of HonorHealth and will be returned to HonorHealth at the conclusion of the telecommuting agreement or upon the employee's termination or retirement.
3. The telecommuting participant must exercise reasonable care for HonorHealth provided equipment. He/she will be held liable for damage caused by negligence. Telecommuting Honorhealth supplied equipment is not to be used for personal use.
4. Staff member is responsible for the cost of maintaining all of their own equipment and approved business internet connection. There will be no HonorHealth IS in-home support.
Print Staff member’s name
______
Staff member’s signature & Date
______
Manager/Supervisor’s signature & Date
DOCUMENTATION:
Telecommuting Agreement
Telecommuting Confidentiality Agreement
CONTRIBUTORS/AUTHORS:
Lee Anne Landon
Carlena Forsha
Apollonia Scianna
Human Resources – Recruitment and Compensation