Summary:Home-Based Work

SUMMARY:HOME-BASED WORK

HOME BASED WORK – The Basics

What is Home Based Work (HBW)?

Your Responsibilities

ECU’s Expectations

INFORMATION FOR STAFF

HBW Proposal

Supported proposal

Home-based work at ECU: the Basics

This is a summary of the basic requirements of staff and line managers who are considering a home-based work (HBW) arrangement.

For more detailed information, please consult your HR Account Manager or the Employee Relations team in the HR Service Centre.

What is home-based work?

Home-based work means the performance of University work in a workplace that is contained within a staff member’s home. The home workplace effectively operates as if the individual was at their campus-based workplace and they perform their same role and responsibilities.

Participation in HBW is not automatic and proposals need to be assessed on their merits.

HBW arrangements should not hinder an area’s operations or services, or be detrimental to team members, other employees or students.

An HBW arrangement does not alter an employee’s contract of employment, or their conditions of employment; the same terms and requirements apply.

Your responsibilities

Staff on HBW arrangements must:

be available at the same campus-based times, or at the specified times as requested by their line manager to meet University business needs;
maintain regular communication and be contactable to team members, other employees and University customers;
attend meetings, appointments or other activities andtraining applied for, or deemed necessary by their manager;
not arrange or conduct face-to-face staff or student meetings in their home;
provide and maintain a safe, healthy and productive home workplace;
abide by University statutes, policies and procedures; and
not contract out any portion of their work.

ECU’s expectations

It is the University’s expectation that staff on HBW arrangements will:

deliver the same level of service and advice as campus-based employees;
achieve the same objectives and outcomes in their role;
engage effectively with other team members and achieve desired team and/or area outcomes or objectives; and
not create a conflict or perceived conflict of interest between their home/parental responsibilities and their work responsibilities.

INFORMATION FOR STAFF

A HBW proposal must be based upon your current substantive position, or a position in which you are temporarily performing the duties.

Participation is based upon your line manager agreeing that your current work objectives and outcomes can be achieved and maintained in your home workplace.

If you have multiple work areas, you must seek approval from all of your managers.

HBW proposal

Forward a one-page proposal to your manager that demonstrates how your HBW would:

benefit thearea (and what you anticipate to achieve out of it);
assist in achieving current work objectives and outcomes;
operate, including the day/s or period it would cover; and
impact on other staff, customers and business needs.

Also include reasons and cost estimates for additional equipment if needed. Here’s a sample proposal if you need one.

Supported proposal

If your proposal is supported, you must complete theApplication forHome Based Work form, and have it formally approved by your manager.

Prior to the HBW arrangement commencing you must complete and acknowledge the:

OSH/Risk Self-assessment checklist and HBW Equipment/Asset checklist

Adhoc HBW arrangements

Staff working a HBW arrangement in an ad-hoc manner must still ensure the HBW environment is conducive to such work and is ergonomically and OSH compliant.

Insurance and liability

In considering HBW it’s your responsibility to assess the personal implications with respect to insurance and public liability.

You are strongly advised to check your current insurance and public liability coverage and to check the implications of HBW on your existing insurance cover.

Only ECU property is covered by the University’s insurance. Please read and understand your obligations under the Asset Management – Recording, Tracking & Disposal policy.

You will be totally responsible for any other insurance relating to your property, home, contents and legal liability.

The University will not be liable for any injury, or loss of life of any person, or the material loss, damage or destruction of anything caused by HBW.

You should also check if a HBW arrangement impinges on any mortgage or tenancy agreement your residence may be under.

ECU will not be deemed to occupy or have control over the premises in any real sense.

Workers’ compensation

The following exclusions apply to workers’ compensation under a HBW arrangement:

If an incident/accident occurs out of the working hours stipulated in your HBW arrangement.
If an incident/accident occurs out of your specified HBW working area whilst based at home.
If you’re undertaking duties on behalf of another employer.

The University’sWorker’s Compensation and Injury Management Policy will apply if you are injured while working from home. An employee undertaking rehabilitation may be required to return to the campus-based workplace if it is determined that this will assist with the rehabilitation program.

You are generally covered when travelling under the following conditions:

You are conducting University business.
The journey has been approved and agreed upon by your supervisor/manager.
For Academic staff – if you are conducting special research away from the approved HBW area.

Note: If any deviation occurs between home-based campus and home-based workplace the eligibility criteria for Workers’ Compensation may be affected.

Security

You are responsible for ensuring that the building and HBW workplace is secure, by providing adequate home security.

You must at all times take reasonable care to protect and secure all University property and documents you may have in your possession. This includes securing and protecting the integrity of all ECU electronic records, equipment and computer systems held, or in use for HBW.

You must also ensure the suitable destruction and shredding of papers and documents produced in the home-based workplace.

Documents, records and information created in HBW are subject to University records management, and Records Management policy. You must make and keep complete, full and accurate records that document University-related business activities and support any decisions made.

Any breaches or suspected breaches of security are to be reported to the University immediately.

Equipment ownership and usage

Ownership of all equipment and resources to be used in HBW must be clearly documented via the HBW Equipment/Asset checklist.

Upon cessation of HBW arrangements (or employment) all equipment supplied and/or owned by the University must be returned and signed off by the supervisor/manager.

ECU resources and equipment must be used for the performance of University tasks and not for private consultancy work. Read University Consultancy Policy.

Equipment breakdowns

You must notify your supervisor of any problems arising from the operation of IT equipment.

All maintenance, repairs, servicing and updating of ECU-owned desktops, laptops and software is to remain the responsibility of the University.

ECU-owned IT equipment must be returned to the University for maintenance, repairs and/or service.

If an IT breakdown of ECU-owned equipment or your own equipment causes work to cease for one or more days, you should revert to campus-based work until the problem is rectified.

Your own equipment

IT Services will not support, service or maintain IT equipment owned by you.

You are responsible for all costs associated with insurance, maintenance, repairs and service of your own equipment.

If your equipment is incompatible or requires software updating, any cost to rectify and make the system compatible will be borne by you.

You must have current anti-virus software installed on your own equipment. The University cannot be held liable for any adverse effects to your equipment that may result from accessing its systems via HBW.

The installation and maintenance of software is your responsibility and no support will be provided by IT Services.

For more information contact the ITService Desk.

Software

The University has limited agreements with software providers, and some agreements permit a copy of software to be run on a home PC that an employee owns or leases for work-related purposes.

This software is only to be used for University purposes and must not be copied or distributed to third parties. It must be deleted if you cease to be an employee of the University.Readterms and conditions applying to this option.

Expenses

You are responsible for any costs relating to the establishment and maintenance of the HBW workplace, and are solely responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the building, including painting, floor coverings and security.

Business-related expenses will be considered on a case-by-case basis and in accordance withUniversity’s Staff Reimbursement policy. Where approved, reimbursements will be proportional to the amount of time in the HBW workplace and the reasonableness of the expense being claimed.

Taxation

It is your responsibility to assess, investigate and seek further information and independent advice on the taxation implications of commencing HBW.

The University will not be responsible for providing you with, or subsidising any taxation advice in relation to HBW.

The University also takes no responsibility for any financial disadvantages suffered by you as a result of your participation in HBW, or from taxation legislation changes which may occur during the HBW arrangement.

INFORMATION FOR MANAGERS

Staff participation in HBW arrangements is dependent upon agreement from line managers who must take into account whether work and team outcomes and objectives can be achieved.

Assessing proposals

Managers need to assess staff proposals (see Information for staff), taking into consideration:

operational and staffing needs required by their area, and likely costs;
likely impact to team members and other employees, including students, the business and other University areas;
type of duties the employee will be performing and their work objectives;
the suitability of the employee to follow instructions and produce timely outcomes in a home environment; and
whether there are characteristics of the position which make it unsuited to HBW. For example:
provides a high degree of direct supervision to employees;
has direct face-to-face contact with clients on a daily/regular basis;
has a high level of face-to-face interaction with other team members and this is integral to the team’s daily work outputs;
if outcomes and performance can’t be objectively measured;
duties may contravene local/state regulations when performed via HBW; and
are customer-driven and service ECU facilities or assets.

The University may also consider that work components of any position are unsuitable for HBW.

Communication and management

Managers are required to reinforce the importance of timely communication with HBW employees.

Managing their work outcomes and hours of work is one aspect; another is using a flexible management approach that measures and manages by end results, rather than by observation of an activity. You should also:

advise team members that the HBW employee is still contactable by other employees or customers, and is providing the same level of service;
encourage other team members to continue their normal patterns of communication and engagement with the employee; and
include the employee in office communications, meetings and team social events, either by personal attendance, or another medium, e.g. phone, webcam, etc.

Reviewing/amending HBW

A review date is generally within the first three months of commencement of the HBW arrangement.

If a HBW arrangement is being used for a specific project then elements and milestones could form part of the review.

For other arrangements, a measure of work output and quality of output should be undertaken, together with an assessment of the impact upon the business area, the team and customers.

Where a HBW arrangement is reviewed and found not to be achieving the desired results, you should consider amending the arrangement after discussing it with the employee.

A follow-up review should be conducted 3-6 months after the first review.

Ending HBW arrangements

A HBW arrangement may end due to one or more of:

the employee seeks to end it;
the completion of the agreed HBW period or project;
the employee or their role is assessed as unsuited to HBW;
outcomes are not being achieved;
an adverse impact to the business area;
there are OSH / Security / Audit concerns;
the employee fails to comply with access notices or follow required University advice, policies andprocedures; or
any reason deemed serious by the University.

Where the University ends the HBW arrangement the employee needs to be advised of the reason and the effective date they are to resume to the campus-based workplace.

Immediate end to HBW

The HBW arrangement will end, effective immediately, if the University has concerns about:

an employee’s health, safety, security or the security and validity of University resources; or
the employee’s failure to follow or comply withECU access requests,notices or required procedures.

The staff member will be required to resume at the campus-based workplace on the next available working day.

Applications

An Application forHome Based Work form must be completed and signed by professional employees and, if approved, signed by you, their manager.

If the arrangement is for a specific project, an end date should be entered.

If the HBW has no definable end then a review date should be set to ensure the arrangement is working satisfactorily.

The employee is still required to seek prior approval to work overtime, additional hours or access leave. The Application for HBW form should be held securely within the employee's MPS file.

Equipment /Asset checklist

TheHBW Equipment/Asset checklistidentifies ownership of any HBW-related equipment. It must be signed by both the employee and manager.

Allequipment supplied by the University must be recorded. The checklist should be held securely within the employee's MPS file and must be checked when a HBW arrangement ends, or the employee terminates, to ensure the equipment is returned.

OSH / Risk Self-Assessment checklist

This checklist assists employees to do a risk assessment of their HBW site and will flag any health or safety concerns to be investigated or rectified prior to the HBW commencing.

It is imperativethat all sections of the OSH/Risk Self-assessment checklist are signed and completed by your staff member andthat you address any flagged Action Items before signing off.

Signed checklists mustbe returned to the employee's personal file with a scanned copy sent to the OSH Team.

Questions?

Please contact your HR Account Manager or Employee Relations in the HR Service Centre.

Summary:Home-Based Work