Work from Home Policy & Procedures

Owned by Kisa Barthel
Last updated: Mar 19, 2024
8 min read

POLICY

Work from Home (WFH) is defined as work completed from a local, off campus location including an employee’s home. WFH is most often hybrid in nature. Meaning, the employee will regularly come to Bethel’s campus each week or month.

Given the nature of faculty workflow, most faculty positions naturally function in a hybrid WFH fashion.  In light of this standard, faculty do not need to request WFH. However, all faculty must be familiar with the following policy and specifically know the requirements listed below that are associated with WFH. Finally, faculty are responsible for meeting all on-campus responsibilities associated with teaching, providing office hours, advising, attending department meetings, etc. Whenever unavoidable conflicts arise, faculty are responsible for communicating in advance with their department chair/program director.

Both non-exempt (hourly) and exempt (salaried) staff can request to work from home. Each staff employee must work with his or her supervisor/department chair/program director/dean to determine if a work from home arrangement is feasible and/or appropriate for the role.

The WFH policy and Arrangement Form are for establishing consistent hybrid work for a person’s role. There is no need for a supervisor and employee to complete a WFH Arrangement Form when the employee sporadically works from home due to inclement weather and/or an isolated request to work from home instead of Bethel.

Even though work from home is possible for several positions, it is not a given. Work from home arrangements will prioritize students and the office or department needs of the university. A request for a position to be completed from home can be denied.  Bethel reserves the right to not approve a request based on the nature of the employee’s work and/or the compliance or tax implications that may arise due to the work from home location.

Once established, work from home arrangements will be evaluated for effectiveness throughout the year and are subject to adjustment including discontinuance.

A work from home work arrangement can be discontinued due to:

  • poor/inadequate performance
  • a change in essential functions of the role
  • because of the strain it puts on the department/office as a whole
  • a change in overall institutional policy regarding working from home

At minimum, work from home will be re-evaluated on an annual basis during the performance review for staff and at typical faculty review times.

Employees will be provided with two weeks’ notice if changes in their WFH arrangement are needed. Supervisors will provide as much advance notice as possible if the employee’s presence is needed onsite for meetings, work functions, or other events that may occur outside the employee’s regularly scheduled work from home hours.

Work from home arrangements must comply with State and Federal employment laws. This includes the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which regulates the payment of overtime for non-exempt employees. Non-exempt employees are required to accurately record the hours they work to ensure that they are paid for all hours worked and to verify the actual hours worked in relation to their scheduled and pre-approved hours. The university requires approval of overtime before it is worked.

All requests for work from home arrangements will be treated equitably. The university adheres to all federal and state anti-discrimination laws in approving requests for remote work arrangements.

This policy will be reviewed and updated as needed.


REQUIREMENTS FOR WORK FROM HOME:

Bethel desires to provide as much flexibility to individuals and departments as possible while at the same time having a common set of clear requirements and expectations.  Below are common expectations or requirements:


CHILDCARE

Employees will secure childcare for children in the work from home location who require supervision. Work from home should not be seen as a substitute for childcare.


EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS

    • The employee will maintain a professional appearance for all video conferences and presentations. Standard practice is to have one’s video camera on during all individual and/or team meetings as well as when working with students or external constituents.
    • Employee job responsibilities, expectations, and the amount of work time will not change due to working from home.
    • Employee work hours will be mutually agreed upon by the supervisor and the employee. While individual department hours may vary to serve their students and other constituencies well, core university business hours are 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. CT.
    • Employees will be accessible to the same extent as if they were onsite. Arrangements should include the ability to contact employees directly by the same methods as are used onsite by the department, e.g., phone, email, chat, videoconferencing, etc.
    • Work from home response time expectations are the same to that of onsite response time expectations.
    • The supervisor and employee should communicate at a level consistent with employees working at the office or in a manner and frequency that seems appropriate for the job and the individuals involved.
    • Employees are responsible for storing and/or destroying their Bethel business-related information securely. Electronic files must be stored on the Bethel network and/or in Bethel Google docs. Paper files must be secured in a locked filing cabinet, and if needed, brought to the university for shredding.
    • Employees must adhere to all university policies governing employee work.

 

OFFICE FURNITURE

Employees are responsible for the cost of their own confidential, professional workspace including their own computer monitors and other accessories, office furniture and equipment, and supplies. Duplicate equipment, office furniture, or other accessories for both onsite and WFH office space will not be provided. An exception to this may be made based on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements if it is determined that the university should make reasonable accommodations.


ON CAMPUS PRESENCE

As part of ongoing community building and service to constituencies, department chairs/ program directors/ supervisors may require an employee’s presence at an onsite meeting, work function, or other event, even if such occurs outside an employee’s normally scheduled remote work hours or location.  Employees are responsible to travel to campus for team/department meetings as directed by their supervisor.                       

TRAVEL EXPENSES

Commuting travel expenses for voluntary WFH employees are not reimbursed, just as they are not for onsite workers.         

Based on department goals and needs, supervisors may designate that a minimum number of employees be onsite daily.  Additionally, supervisors will work to make a daily onsite presence equitable across employees in the department based on a number of factors including consideration of job responsibilities.


TECHNOLOGY & SECURE INTERNET

All work performed of site must be through a secure internet connection, utilizing the VPN that Bethel provides. Employees should work with ITS if they are unsure whether their internet connection is secure.  Contact the ITS help desk (x6500) for assistance downloading the free Bethel VPN.

The university’s help desk and IT staff will ensure that university-owned computers and software are working properly. In the event that any issues are not able to be resolved over the phone, it will be the employee’s responsibility to bring the equipment to the university for troubleshooting. 


WORK SPACE

The employee will secure a suitable work location offsite. A suitable work environment will be:

    • Largely free of noises that employees, students, parents etc. may detect as being non-office sounds. (i.e. children playing in the background, animal noises, baristas talking, etc.)
    • Free from the need to tend to children/provide supervision for children.
    • Free from images or decorations that are contrary to the Covenant for Life Together

It is the responsibility of the employee to obtain at the employee’s cost any appropriate permit/license for their home office, if required by zoning laws in their area. Employees should consult their city or county with questions.


TAXES

Federal and state tax implications of the use of a home office are the responsibility of the employee. The university will withhold taxes for the State in which an employee primarily works. It is the responsibility of the employee to notify the Office of People and Culture and to complete new tax withholding forms in the event that the employee’s primary work location changes. Employees should consult with their tax professional for assistance.


LIABILITY

The university will provide workers’ compensation insurance as required by state law and liability protection under the university’s insurance program for the employee while in the course and scope of employment within the agreed upon location and defined work schedule.

The university assumes no responsibility for any activity, damages, or injury which is not directly associated with or directly resulting from the official job duties and for which the university has no ability to exercise control. The university assumes no responsibility for the employee’s personal safety while working offsite.

The university is not liable for loss, destruction, or injury that may occur in or to the employee’s home. This includes family members, visitors, or others that may become injured within or around the employee’s home.

A designated workspace should be maintained by the employee in a clean, professional, and safe condition. Any injury that occurs within the course and scope of employment must be reported according to state and federal reporting requirements.

Employees who work from home are required to maintain homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy for liability purposes.


PROCEDURES for Work from Home Arrangements


PROCEDURE: Faculty

Faculty should read through the Work From Home Policy, noting the standard requirements for all WFH positions at Bethel.  Faculty acknowledge the requirements of the WFH policy when signing their contract.


PROCEDURE: Staff

Staff WFH Arrangement Forms will be drafted collaboratively between the employee and their supervisor.  Each work from home arrangement must be documented using the Work From Home Arrangement Form, signed, and approved by the supervisor and/or department head.  Both the employee and supervisor should keep copies. Additionally, a copy should be sent to the Office of People and Culture.

Any change requested by an employee in the work from home arrangement will be reviewed and a decision to approve or disapprove will be made by the supervisor, in conjunction with the office of People and Culture. No changes will be effective until this process is completed.

1. Meet with Supervisor

In this initial meeting, explore the feasibility of a work from home arrangement

Employee sets a meeting with the supervisor. At this meeting, the employee and supervisor should discuss:

    • Job purpose, functions and portability

Can this job be completed from a remote location and accomplish its primary purpose?

Can the functions associated with this role practically be completed from a remote location?

    • Degree of student-facing interactions

What impact will remote work have on student-facing interactions?

    • Needs of the department

What impact will remote work have on the department/office as a whole?

    • Interrelationship with duties of other persons

How will this remote work impact collaboration, timely collegial interaction, and shared responsibilities among colleagues?

    • In-person visitor/customer traffic

What impact will remote work have on those who stop by the office in person for assistance?

    • Current and past productivity and performance considerations

How will remote work affect an employee's performance?

Has the employee been performing at a level to warrant the responsibility of remote work?

    • Suitable environment/location

Does the employee have a suitable environment to work from? 

See Workspace and Office Furniture requirements sections.

    • The Work from Home Arrangement Form

Review the form together, discussing each of the items listed.

Confirm mutual understanding of the requirements associated with remote work at Bethel.

2. Complete the Work from Home Arrangement Form

Upon completion, it should be reviewed and signed by both staff employee and supervisor.  Copies should be made and provided to both employee and supervisor. Additionally, a copy should be provided to the office of People and Culture for the personnel file.

Faculty acknowledge the requirements of the WFH policy when signing their contract.

3. Review Work from Home Arrangement

Employees and supervisors should evaluate the work from home situation multiple times a year, including but not limited to the annual performance review time. If the arrangement is not working for either party, work from home should be discontinued.