SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, DEAN’S OFFICE

GUIDELINES FOR TELECOMMUTING AND REMOTE ACCESS

DEFINITIONS & ELIGIBILITY:

Telecommuting is a voluntary work arrangement in which an eligible employee, with approval, works one or more days each workweek from home instead of commuting to the work place. Telecommuting employees use networking technology to access University information systems from their remote location. Eligibility: Career employees and non-faculty academic personnel who have completed probation are eligible. Employees must be working in a job suited for telecommuting. In general, jobs that require a physical presence in the workplace or more than a minimal amount of face-to-face interaction are not appropriate for telecommuting. A telecommuter’s most recent performance appraisal must be “satisfactory”/”meets expectations” or better. Note: Independent contractors are not University employees; therefore, these guidelines do not apply to them.

Occasional Remote Access: Telecommuting is not remote access that allows an employee to access his/her email or Dean’s Office network drives on an occasional basis. For example, an employee who occasionally needs remote access outside of normal working hours or when traveling on University business is not a telecommuter. Although some of the guidelines regarding telecommuting may be helpful in determining whether occasional remote access is appropriate, the need and eligibility for such access is ultimately left up to the Unit Supervisor’s discretion. Supervisors approving occasional remote access should do so only when there is an appropriate University business need for the employee to gain access to files or email. Supervisors should be cautious in authorizing occasional remote access for non-exempt employees as the non-exempt employee who does work from home may have the right to claim overtime.

PROPOSAL/APPROVAL/IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS:

Telecommuting

  1. Where an employee requests a telecommuting arrangement, the employee completes a Telecommuting Proposal and submits it to his/her supervisor/manager.

2.The supervisor/manager reviews the Telecommuting Proposal, meets with the employee to review what is being proposed, and determines whether telecommuting is appropriate. Supervisors and employees should read the UCSF Telecommuting Guidelines and Procedures, which outline considerations that are helpful in determining whether telecommuting is appropriate. Examples of considerations include the following:

  • Telecommuter Supervision Requirements – Does the potential telecommuter display work-related behaviors consistent with those of successful telecommuters?
  • A history of reliable and responsible discharge of work duties.
  • Full understanding of the operations of his/her department.
  • The trust of his/her manager.
  • An ability to establish priorities and manage his/her own time.
  • A conscientious pursuit of high-quality work production.
  • Reachable by phone during assigned work hours.
  • Resource Requirements – Will the employee need input or advice from others that is only available in the office? What percentage of the job is predicated on the use of resources located in the employee’s primary work office?
  • Special Equipment Requirements – What percentage of the job relies upon access to photocopiers, fax machines, or other specialized equipment? Can access needs be grouped for non-telecommuting days?
  • Information Security Requirements – What percentage of the job uses secured or classified information, and how can the integrity of that secured information be upheld if data is taken off site?

3.The supervisor/manager and employee complete a Telecommuting Agreement.

4.The Unit Supervisor submits the Telecommuting Proposal and Telecommuting Agreement to the Office of Human Resources Services (OHRS). OHRS will verify the employee’s eligibility, review and approve/deny the request, notify the Unit Supervisor, and authorize the Information Services Unit (ISU) to arrange the technical support.

5. When University computers or other equipment are to be moved to the home, a completed Receipt of Equipment Form (see below) is submitted to the ISU.

6. The employee’s supervisor/manager completes a Telecommuter Program Supervisor’s Checklist to insure that the appropriate steps have been taken to make the telecommuting arrangement a success.

Occasional Remote Access

1.The Unit Supervisor submits a request for remote access to OHRS.

2.OHRS reviews and approves/denies the request. If the request is approved, the request is forwarded to the ISU, which arranges for the necessary technical support.

3.When University computers or other equipment is to be moved to the home, a completed Receipt of Equipment Form (see below) is submitted to the ISU.

TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT:

Once the proposal has been approved by OHRS, the Information Services Unit will work with the employee and the Unit Supervisor to determine the type of service and computer configuration required by assessing the employee’s home and travel locations and email and file access requirements.

Please note the following technical and financial implications:

  • Depending on configuration requirements, ISU may mandate the use of a Dean’s Office computer.
  • Surplus Dean’s Office equipment is occasionally available for telecommuters. If surplus equipment is unavailable for distribution it will be the Unit’s responsibility to fund the purchase of new equipment.
  • Some home configurations will require the Unit to purchase additional equipment such as a modem or router.
  • Users wishing to access systems, either occasionally or when telecommuting, will be required to use the campus VPN and up-to-date virus protection. Both are available for free from the University.
  • The ISU cannot provide hands-on or phone support to users who wish to use their own computers for telecommuting or occasional access. General guidelines, how-to documents, and software download sites will be provided.
  • Two services are available - RAS (Remote Access Services) and ISP (Internet Service Provider).
  • Generally, those who require local access (includes most 415 and some 650 area codes) and need only a low-speed connection will be assigned a RAS account. No charges apply to the user unless connectivity is established outside the local calling area.
  • If long distance or high-speed access is required the ISU recommends the ISP solution. The user must have an account with an ISP (e.g. Earthlink, PacBell, ATT, etc.) to enable this solution. ISU can recommend ISP solutions for your group for dial up and high-speed access. Costs for the ISP account(s), including any remote access services (e.g., cable modem or DSL), may fall to the unit or be shared between the unit and the employee depending on the particular circumstances of the telecommuting arrangement.
  • Allocation of remote access costs to be charged to a Dean’s Office account should be based on the general rule that 100% of the use costs attributed to University business should be University expenses. For example, where a DSL line and ISP service is installed for use by a telecommuter and no personal use is to occur, 100% of the cost is a university business expense. Where an employee has a personal cable modem and ISP and telecommutes for 50% of a workweek, it is reasonable to prorate one half of the access and use costs to the University with the balance a personal expense.

Receipt of Equipment Form

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The following School of Medicine, Dean’s Office equipment is being provided to the employee to furnish a home office equipped for effective telecommuting. The employee agrees to the following terms. The employee will:

Use School of Medicine, Dean’s Office technology only for conducting School of Medicine business.

Use School of Medicine, Dean’s Office equipment with proper care and protect it from damage and excessive heat.

Notify technical support immediately at 415-502-1919 to report technology problems.

Return all School of Medicine, Dean’s Office equipment to the Dean’s Office within ten workdays if telecommuting is terminated or upon request by the School of Medicine.

Technology
Any hardware/software with
version number /

Serial number

/ Date
provided / Date
returned

I agree to the above terms.

______

Telecommuter’s Signature Date

Telecommuter’s Name ______

Address: ______

______

Phone Number: ______

E-Mail Address: ______