Telework FAQs for Supervisors

Will staff have choices to telework or work in the office?

Telework may be used when appropriate to the specific needs of a department and employee. Telework may be approved on an ongoing basis or a time-limited basis, and exceptions may be required to meet department needs. Employees and supervisors should work together to determine if telework is appropriate for the job duties and role of the position; however, any telework arrangements must be approved by the supervisor and dean/vice president.

Which factors should supervisors consider when determining if telework is possible and if an employee is prepared to successfully telework?

Several factors should be considered in determining the feasibility of telework, including the supervisor’s ability to adequately supervise the employee, whether any duties require use of systems, equipment, or tools that cannot be replicated or provided at the alternative work location, and the potential impact to other team member’ workload.

Supervisors should consider position-specific tasks and requirements; impact on students, coworkers, and the public; and any employee performance concerns. You should consider employee performance and determine if the employee has enough training/knowledge of their duties and tasks to successfully telework.

How can I ensure equity/fairness of telework agreements for various employees in my office with similar job descriptions?

Telework is not appropriate for all employees and jobs and does not need to be approved for all employees in the same or similar jobs. Telework should be considered on a non-discriminatory, case-by-case basis.  Agreements should be evaluated based on the business need of the department and the specifics of each employee’s work abilities and job description. Departments may consult with the Office of Human Resources to analyze the nature of a position and how the work is performed to determine which positions are appropriate to designate or approve for telework.

How long does a telework agreement last?

Telework may be approved on an ongoing basis, or a time-limited basis, and exceptions may be required to meet department needs. It is recommended that departments review telework arrangements at least annually to determine if the arrangement should continue.

Can the university pay for office items for someone’s home (e.g., office chair, desk, etc.)?

The employee should seek department supervisor approval before incurring any business expense. To receive reimbursement for pre-approved expenses, the employee must present proper documentation to support the expenses, in accordance with all applicable accounting, ethics and financial control policies and procedures.

When arrangements are made for telework, university equipment may be assigned to the employee to utilize from home. If university equipment is used, the employee must exercise reasonable care for the equipment. Department approval should be obtained prior to taking university-owned equipment. Employees teleworking outside the state of Utah may be required to provide their own equipment, which complies with all university security rules. (See USU Policy 330: Telework, section 2.3.5: Equipment and Materials)

Can teleworkers apply for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

Teleworkers who need an accommodation may contact the Office of Human Resources to file a request. HR will analyze such requests according to established policies and procedures.

Are teleworkers covered by Workers Compensation?

Teleworkers will be covered only for work-related injuries incurred during the normal course, scope and prearranged work hours of their employment.

All employees must report any work-related injuries to their supervisor immediately, and follow procedures outlined in USU Policy 3109: Worker’s Compensation.

How will supervisors be expected to manage an employee who is not physically on campus?

Supervisors are responsible to develop a means of tracking the employee’s hours worked, evaluating work performance, and holding the employee accountable, as they would normally do for an employee working in the office. It is important to provide clear performance expectations and maintain regular communication with the employee.

Is there training available to supervisors on managing telework employees?

Yes, supervisor training is available. All benefited staff can access LinkedIn Learning, an online learning portal, for free. LinkedIn Learning offers many courses on various topics to help supervisors and employees adapt to the future of work. Supervisors can find course recommendations on the Human Resources Telework Supervisor Resources webpage. In addition to LinkedIn Learning, supervisors are always encouraged to register for any of the courses offered in the Leading at USU program. 

My employee wants to telework, and their position has been designated as eligible to do so; however, the employee has performance issues that make me hesitant to allow them to telework. What should I do?

Telework is a privilege, subject to university approval, and is not a university-wide benefit. Telework is a management option for an alternative work arrangement. Eligible employees must have no active, formal corrective actions on file for the current or preceding performance review period and have a demonstrated ability to work productively and successfully in their role. Carefully consider the performance issues that are causing you concern. If necessary, discuss any concerns with HR. Ensure you have clearly communicated your expectations with the employee and provided feedback on areas where they can improve.

My employee is teleworking, but their performance is declining. What should I do?

HR can help navigate concerns regarding staff performance. Call the HR Solution Center at (435) 797-0122 or email hr@usu.edu.

Can I bring my employee back to working on campus if circumstances change?

Yes, if circumstances change and telework is no longer appropriate, the telework arrangements may be discontinued by the university at any time. Telework arrangements must serve the department’s objectives and can be discontinued by and at the discretion of the department head/director and/or responsible dean/vice president at any time based on business and performance management considerations.

Can I require an employee who teleworks to come to campus occasionally?

Teleworking agreements should allow for the possibility that management may occasionally require everyone to be physically present. Supervisors may require employees to report to a central USU workplace as needed for work-related meetings or other events or via virtual tools/technology as needed to discuss work progress or other work-related issues. Supervisors should provide enough notice to ensure the teleworker can be in attendance in person when required.

Can student employees, including work-study, telework?

At this time telework is only available to benefited employees. Benefited employees receive paid leave, retirement, dental, paid holidays, etc.  To find out if an employee is benefited, please see your business services team.

What if I have concerns about my employee being distracted by others at their alternate workspace while teleworking?

Telework is not designed to be a substitute for active dependent care (exceptions may be granted for exceptional circumstances) or childcare (see USU Policy 3109: Telework, section 2.3.4: Alternative Workspace Distractions). Teleworking employees should make necessary arrangements for the care of others to minimize distractions and becoming a performance issue. Work schedules may be negotiated as appropriate to accommodate dependent care needs.

How will performance be measured for telework?

Unless otherwise specified in the Telework Agreement, the employee’s work status, job duties and responsibilities will remain unchanged because of telework.

What is a hybrid schedule and how should it be reflected in a Telework Agreement?

A hybrid schedule includes both on-site work and telework. This schedule works well for employees who can productively perform the duties of the position from a remote location. However, the position may also require some  team collaboration/ building or in-person customer interaction because not all customer interactions are suitable for email, phone, or Zoom. 

How should leave be handled with employees who telework?

The employee is responsible for recording vacation, sick or other leave as they would do at the primary work location, in accordance with policy.

For employees who may participate in telework on occasion, should a Telework Agreement be completed?

Yes. The Telework Agreement establishes guidelines that should be followed whether telework is the primary mode of work or whether it is just done occasionally.

For inclement weather, can employees telework?

Yes, surge telework may be appropriate for a mandatory action day or a special circumstance day (e.g., university closure, natural disaster, snow day, red air quality day, etc.).

If an employee’s supervisor changes, does the employee have to complete a new Telework Agreement?

While it is not required to complete a new Telework Agreement, new supervisors should review the existing agreement with their employee(s). If changes need to be made, a new agreement should be completed or the existing agreement cancelled.

An employee has asked requested to telework. Can I say no?

Teleworking is a privilege and not an employee right nor a university-wide employee benefit. Telework is an option for alternative work arrangements. When considering whether employees may telework, be sure to apply consistent evaluation.

What if an employee requests to work from home for medical reasons?

For conditions that may qualify, employees who need an accommodation may contact the Office of Human Resources to file a request. HR will analyze such requests according to established policy and procedures.

If I have many employees in my department interested in teleworking and I am not able to approve every request, how do I prioritize the requests and not create a morale problem in my department?

It may be helpful to begin by considering groups of jobs within your department. Are there positions that are conducive to telework? Are there responsibilities that cannot be done from a remote work site? Can the employee rotate telework schedules? It can then become easier to evaluate individual requests to determine if telework is possible in specific situations. Be clear about the criteria being used for determining telework options.

Can I approve an employee to telework outside of Utah or the US?

Supervisors should contact the Office of Human Resources prior to approving the Telework Agreement for work outside of Utah/US.

What are the different types of telework?

  • Regular telework: An employee works every workday at a location other than a USU location.
  • Hybrid telework: An employee works one or more workdays at a location other than a USU location and the remainder of the week’s workdays at a USU location (e.g., M-W alternative work location from home; Th-F work from USU workplace). The schedule is fixed to be the same each week to facilitate meeting schedules and other office activities.
  • Flexible telework: Employees vary their work location throughout the week based on business and/or personal work/life needs. Only positions that can support this variety should be approved using this method.
  • Surge telework: For positions leaders have identified as being able to temporarily telework on days where the Utah Division of Air Quality has forecast an air quality of “unhealthy” (red) or higher at least 48 hours in advance for that county/location.

What are the Steps to Request Telework?

Telework Steps (*Required)

  1. Employee completes self-assessment.
  2. Supervisor completes both Role and Performance Fit Assessments.
  3. Conversation regarding expectations is held between supervisor and employee.
  4. Employee initiates telework request in ServiceNow.*
  5. Approval Process: *
    • Employee
    • Supervisor
    • Dept. Head/Director
    • Dean/VP
  6. Approval/Denial is communicated to the requesting employee.*
  7. HR receives the approved form and updates Banner record.*
  8. Supervisor communicates with team/others.
  9. Employee completes Site Checklist and discusses concerns with supervisor.
  10. Supervisor holds 90-day telework assessment and check-in with employee.

What are the leaders’ focus in the reviewing telework request for approval process?

Supervisor: Is telework appropriate for the position and person?

Dept Head/Director: Is telework appropriate and equitable for the position, person, and department?

Dean/VP: Is telework applied equitably across my college or division?