/ Working from home policy

Working from home Policy

Australian Business and Management Network

Version 1

Contents

1.Description

2.Purpose

3.Applicability

4.Definitions

5.Policy

5.1 Information and Communication Technology

5.2 Work Health and Safety

5.3 Worker’s compensation

5.4 Insurance Arrangements

5.5 Absences

6.Suitability of Home-Based Work Environment

6.1 Work Health and Safety

6.2 Equipment and Utilities used at home-based worksite

6.3 Insurance

6.4 Access arrangements to the home-based worksite

7.Procedure – Applying for working from home arrangements

7.1 Steps to be undertaken by staff members

7.2 Steps to be undertaken by the supervisor

7.3 Following commencement of a WFH agreement

8.Related documents

8.1 Policies and procedures

8.2 Forms

9.Authorisation

10.Policy History

  1. Description

The Working from Home Policy outlines the range of leave and flexible working arrangements available at Australian Business and Management Network (ABMN) to attract and retain staff members; to provide flexibility in meeting business needs; and to assist staff to manage their work and personal responsibilities.

  1. Purpose

This policy sets out the guidelines and procedures to be followed when considering a working from home arrangement. The opportunity to work from home is not an entitlement or a right.

  1. Applicability

This policy applies to all workers and manager of workers working from home.

  1. Definitions

Delegated Officer means the person who holds a position at ABMN which has delegated authority to vary a staff member’s terms and conditions of employment.

Home-based worksite means a designated workspace within a staff member’s home where the staff member will perform home-based work.

Home-based work means performance of duties at the home-based worksite as agreed between ABMN and the staff member.

Working from Home Agreement means the signed written agreement that outlines the conditions of a working from home arrangement between ABMN and a staff member, and includes relevant checklists relating to work health and safety requirements and office ergonomics.

  1. Policy

ABMNrecognisestheimportanceofflexibleworkarrangementsinhelpingtoattractandretainits workforce,whileatthesametimeensuringastrongteam-basedculture.

Home-basedworkisavoluntaryandco-operativearrangementagreedtobetweenastaffmemberandABMN.Home-basedworkwillbeconsideredona casebycasebasis.

WhenastaffmemberorSupervisorisconsideringwhetherworkingfromhomeisappropriate,consideration must begiventothenatureoftheworktobeperformedathome, the staff member’sattributes,thehome-based worksiteandfacilities,theeffectsonco-workersandclients,andwhetherservicedeliveryisimpacted.

Regular periods of working from home must be formalised in a Working From Home Agreement(WFH Agreement). The WFH Agreement must clearly outline the duties to be performed whilst undertaking home-based work, the mechanisms for monitoring output, as well as the supervision arrangements, prior to the arrangement being put in place.

At any time, either party may terminate the WFH Agreement. At least two weeks’ notice must be given indicating the cessation of the WFH Agreement.

Approved WFH Agreements do not carry over to any new position, which a staff member may transfer or be promoted into. In the case of a transfer or promotion, a new application to undertake home-based work must be submitted.

Organisational change may require that a WFH Agreement be reviewed or terminated where it is considered no longer suitable for work to be undertaken from home due to changed operational requirements or circumstances in the work area.

5.1Rights and Responsibilities

When setting up a WFH Agreement each party has the following rights and responsibilities:

Right to: / Responsibility to:
Worker /
  • apply to work at home
  • have their application considered
  • negotiate flexible working hours
  • set up their home-based office where it is convenient
/
  • comply with all relevant ABMN policies and procedures
  • ensure they have appropriate insurance arrangements
  • ensure they have appropriate equipment to work safely and effectively

Supervisor /
  • review/amend working from home arrangements as required
  • require worker to attend the occasional on-site meeting
  • have regular contact with worker
  • inspect worker’s home office periodically as required
/
  • ensure the worker is supported at all times
  • be contactable to worker
  • keep worker informed of changes within the team
  • give notice of attendance at home office prior to attending

ABMN /
  • review/amend working from home arrangements as required
  • cancel working from home arrangement if there is a breach of the agreement or any relevant policies and procedures
  • require compliance with all ABMN policies and procedures
  • ensure security of documents and records is maintained
  • audit/inspect work equipment or environment in the event of an incident
/
  • maintain confidentiality of worker’s personal details
  • ensure worker complies with relevant legislative requirements (for example WHS requirements)
  • provide training, instruction and supervision to the worker as required

5.2 Information and Communication Technology

If home-based work involves access to ABMN resources and computer networks, the Manager and the staff member must ensure that appropriate security arrangements are in place, and that the staff member abides by the standards and guidelines contained in the Information and Communication Technology Resources Policy(ICT Resources Policy).

5.3Work Health and Safety

ABMN is committed to providing a safe and healthy place of work for all staff members and this extends to staff who undertake home-based work. All relevant Work Health and Safety (WHS) policies and procedures that apply to staff at ABMN will, as far as practicable, apply to staff carrying out work at a home-based office.

5.4Worker’s compensation

Staff members undertaking authorised home-based work are covered by the same principles of the worker’s compensation legislation that apply to staff at head office.

If a staff member has an accidentorsustainsaninjurywhilstundertakinghome-basedwork,the staff memberis requiredtoreporttheinjuryorillnesstotheirManager.Allaccidentsandinjuriesmustbe reported toABMN within24hoursofoccurring.

Further information about reporting accidents, injuries and claiming workers’ compensation insurance is availablefrom the Workers Compensation Policy.

5.5Insurance Arrangements

Staff members are solely responsible for checking whether working from home has any impact on any existing insurance arrangements they may have, including public liability or equipment covered by their own home contents insurance, and any obligations they may have to notify their insurer that their home is to be used for work purposes.

5.5Absences

Staff undertaking home-based work are required to follow the same processes for notifying of absences (e.g. sick leave, carer’s leave) that apply to all staff.

  1. Suitability of Home-Based Work Environment

6.1Work Health and Safety

WHS requirements and responsibilities apply equally in home-based workplaces as for on site-based workplaces.

Priorto astaffmemberbeinggrantedapprovaltocommenceregularhome-basedwork,thefollowingstepsmust becompliedwith:

a)Detailsofthepartofthehometobeusedforhome-basedworkmustbeclearly identifiedandrecorded intheWFHAgreement.Thedesignatedworkareamustbeadistinctsectionorpartof thehome

b)ThestaffmembermustreadandcomplywithABMN’s WHS Policy and completethe WHS, Environmental and Ergonomics Assessment (theChecklist).Thecompletedchecklistmustbe forwardedto thestaffmember’sManagertogetherwiththeapplication.

Itishighlyrecommended thatwherethemajorityofhome-basedworkwillbeofaclericalorcomputer basednaturethatthestaffmember reviewandassesstheirhomebasedworkenvironment in accordancewiththe Pre-start checklistavailableontheABMN Intranet.

c)TheManagermustreviewtheChecklisttoassesscomplianceanddeterminesuitabilityforthe home-basedworksite.

d)Intheeventthattheproposedhome-basedarrangementsdonotsatisfytheapplicableWHS standards, approvalwillnotbegivenforhome-basedworkarrangements. WhentheManagerissatisfiedthat WHSrisksassociatedwiththestaffmemberundertakingworkfromtheirhome-base areproperly managed,theAgreementandChecklistshouldbe forwardedtoHR forplacementon thestaffmember’spersonnelfile.

Ifastaffmemberneedstomakealterationstoeithertheirhome-basedworksite orequipment,thestaffmember isrequiredtonotifytheirSupervisorandcompletea new WHS, Environmental and Ergonomics Assessment and review of their home based work environment in accordance with the Pre-start checklistpriortoany changesbeingimplemented.

6.2Equipment and Utilities used at home-based worksite

Itistheresponsibility ofthestaffmembertoestablishasuitablehome-basedworksite.Intheeventthatthe home-basedworkenvironmentdoesnotcontainalltheequipmentnecessary toundertaketheroleorspecific tasksfromhomeand/ordoesnotmeetWHSrequirements,aWFHAgreementwillnotbeenteredintooritwill beterminatedbyABMN.

The cost of anyutilities to perform home-based work is the expense of the staff member.In some circumstancesABMNmay,atitssolediscretion,agreetofinanciallysupportthepurchaseofequipment orpaymentofutilitiestosupportastaffmemberinworkingfromhome,howeverABMN isunderno obligation toprovidesuchsupportandeachrequest forassistancewillbedeterminedonacasebycasebasis. A workingfrom homearrangementshouldbeat leastcostneutraltoABMN.

Theneedandcostofanyconsumables (e.g.stationery) mustbediscussedandagreedtopriortoanyhome- basedworkcommencing.

6.3Insurance

Staffmembersareresponsibleforthirdpartieswhovisittheirhome-based worksiteandmaywishtotakeout publicliabilityinsurance.Staffmembersarealsoresponsible foranylossordamagetotheirownequipmentor assetsandABMN recommendsthatstaffmembersobtainandmaintainappropriatecontentsinsurance cover.

Itisrecommendedthatstaff adviseABMNofthenameof theirpropertyinsurerwhichcanbe recordedon theWFHAgreement.

6.4Access arrangements to the home-based worksite

Fromtimetotime,ABMN mayrequireaccesstoastaffmember’shome-basedworksite.ABMN willseektheconsentofthestaffmemberpriortoaccessing ahome-based worksite; suchconsentmustnotbe unreasonablywithheld.AllWFHAgreementsmustprovideforreasonableaccessforthepurposesof:

•assessingandmonitoringsecurityarrangementsof equipmentanddocuments;

•WHSinspectionsandrisk assessments;

•incidentinvestigation;and

•supervision.

  1. Procedure – Applying for working from home arrangements

Workingfromhomearrangementsmustbenegotiatedbetweenthestaffmember,theirManagerandthe DelegatedOfficerandconsideredonacasebycasebasis.

7.1 Steps to be undertaken by staff members

a)ForregularperiodsofworkingfromhomeawrittenapplicationmustbesubmittedthroughtheManager totheDelegatedOfficerforapproval.

Applicationsmustinclude:

  • the completed Working from home Agreement (Appendix A) clearly outlining:
  • detailsof theproposedworkingfrom homearrangement;and
  • theperiodof timethatthearrangementwillapply;
  • the completed Off-Site WHS Self-Assessment
  • the completed Pre-Start Checklist with evidence (photo of work environment) that shows that the home based work environment has been assessed and set up correctly
  • anysupplementaryinformationanddocumentationto supporttheapplication.

7.2Steps to be undertaken by the supervisor

Inconsidering theapplicationandtheproposed WFHAgreement,the supervisormusttakeintoaccount thepersonalcircumstancesofthe staff memberapplyingfortheworkingfromhomearrangementwhileensuring thattheoperationalneedsoftheworkareaaremet.Thearrangementmayinitiallybeapprovedonatrialbasis andrestrictedtocertaindays.

Forallapplications,theSupervisor must:

  • ensurethatthestaffmemberis awareof the individual’sandABMN’sWHSresponsibilities;
  • consideranyrelevantfactorsidentifiedbythestaffmemberintheirapplication toundertakehome- basedwork(i.e.equipmentandutilities,security–campusnetwork,accessarrangements, contact arrangements);
  • ensure that the home-basedwork environmentmeets WHS requirements,the staff member has completedtherelevant checklists,and madethemselvesawareoftherelevantpoliciesandprocedures.

Generally, the Supervisor will either approve or not approve the application within five working days. Where the application is not approved the relevant Supervisor will discuss his/her decision with the staff member and where the request is refused provide details reasons for the refusal in writing.

Wheretheapplicationis approved, theWFHAgreementwillbe signedbythe Supervisor and a copywillbeprovidedto thestaffmember,andtheSupervisor,withtheoriginalapprovedWFHAgreementand attachmentstobe forwardedto HRforplacementonthestaffmember’spersonnelfile.

7.3Following commencement of a WFH agreement

Staff are to:

  • take reasonable precautions to protect ABMN information and assets;
  • comply with the arrangements outlined in the WFH Agreement;
  • deliver on agreed work outcomes on a consistent basis;
  • participate in team meetings and relevant learning and development activities online;
  • provide authorised ABMN staff or other approved parties with access to the home-based worksite where necessary for matters such as WHS inspections, upgrading and repair of ABMN-supplied equipment;
  • monitor and review the home-based work arrangements on a regular basis as recorded in the WFH Agreement; and
  • report any accidents or injuries occurring within the home-based worksite within 24 hours of occurring.

Supervisors are to:

  • monitor the home-based work arrangement to ensure that agreed work outcomes are consistently being delivered;
  • review and sign-off on records of hours worked (timesheets) as required; and
  • monitor and review the home-based work arrangements on a regular basis as recorded in the WFH Agreement.

At all times, either the ABMN or the staff member may terminate a WFH Agreement by providing the other party with at least two weeks’ written notice.

  1. Related documents

8.1 Policies and procedures

Work Health and Safety (WHS) Policy

Information and Communications Technology Resources (ICT Resources) Policy

8.2 Forms

Working from Home Agreement

Off-Site WHS Self-Assessment

Pre-start Checklist

  1. Authorisation

Authorised by / Date / Signature
  1. Policy History

Version number / Authorised by / Position / Date
1 / Hannah Thomas / Manager People, Culture and Training / July 2014
Australian Business and Management Association / Policy History
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