(A)
Policy statement
and purpose
Bowling Green state university supports
flexible work arrangements that promote productive work environments and enable
staff to balance work and other responsibilities. Flexible work arrangements
can result in improved productivity, recruitment and retention of skilled
staff, and improved employee satisfaction. These arrangements provide employees
with increased flexibility with their work schedule while allowing the
university to maintain a progressive and productive work
environment.
The university encourages employees and
managers to work collaboratively to align expectations for any flexible work
arrangements. Flexible work arrangements are a discretionary benefit to
eligible employees and should not be viewed as automatic or
permanent.
Employees are responsible for all tax
consequences that may occur because of off-campus work and are encouraged to
consult with a professional tax advisor.
(B)
Policy
scope
This policy applies to administrative
and classified staff employees except those covered by a collective bargaining
agreement.
(C)
Definitions
The University recognizes that not all
positions are conducive to flexible work arrangements and has recognized
positions in the following categories:
(1)
Hybrid eligible
position
Most job duties are required to be
performed on campus, but a portion can be performed remotely. At least some
work responsibilities can be done offsite without loss of productivity, but
some onsite presence is required for in-person collaboration with department
and other team members. Some hybrid eligible positions may necessitate
flexibility on the part of the employee who, with reasonable notice, may be
required to adapt their schedule to meet unit needs.
(2)
Onsite
position
The job duties cannot physically be
performed remotely and are required to be performed on campus. Staff in these
positions will not be eligible for remote or hybrid work assignment but may be
eligible to request a flexible schedule or compressed work week arrangement if
it does not lead to overtime pay.
(3)
Remote eligible
position
All job duties can be performed
remotely without disruption to other staff or productivity levels. It is
expected that staff in these positions are available during customary operating
hours for the department/unit. Remote eligible positions are covered by the
university's telecommuting policy.
(4)
Senior
supervisor
As used in this policy, the senior
supervisor is the dean of the college (for academic areas) and the divisional
vice-president for non-academic areas (including the chief diversity officer,
chief health officer, director of athletics, and general counsel).
(D)
Flexible work options
Flexible work options may include
adjustments to both time and location. Flexibility in time includes the ability
to adjust one's work hours. Flexibility in location includes the option of
altering the location of one's workplace. These flexible work arrangements may
be used separately or combined. They are agreed-upon adjustments to time and/or
location for a defined period.
Flexible work arrangements differ from
temporary adjustments to a work schedule to address occasional needs, which may
be made with supervisory permission at management's discretion.
(1)
Flexibility in
time
Flexibility in time shall not schedule
any employee eligible for overtime pay to work more than forty hours in any
week. Any overtime must be approved in advance by the employee's
supervisor.
(a)
Flexible schedule
Work hours that start and end at times
that differ from the department's or unit's customary operating schedule.
Examples include: working from seven a.m. to four p.m.; working a "split shift"
from seven a.m. to eleven a.m. and then from one p.m. to five p.m.; or working
from eight a.m. to five p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday.
(b)
Compressed workweek
Work hours that result in increased
hours per day with fewer days than the typical workweek (e.g., four ten-hour
days instead of five eight-hour days).
(2)
Flexibility in
location
Employees able to perform a percentage
of their work offsite, while working onsite for the remainder of the time, may
be eligible for flexibility in location. An employee with an approved
flexibility in location arrangement will work on campus on designated days and
work remotely on other days. For example, an employee may be approved to work
from home for two days a week and to work on campus the other three
days.
The number of days in each location
will be determined by the university based on the employee's proposal and
departmental/unit needs. Employees must work on campus at least three days per
week unless operational needs of the department/unit require
otherwise.
Arrangements in which an employee
regularly works off-campus more than two days a week should be addressed
through the university's telecommuting policy.
(E)
Policy
and procedures
(1)
Proposal submission
All staff members are eligible to
request a flexible work arrangement by submitting a flexible work arrangement
proposal to their immediate supervisor.
A request for a flexible work
arrangement cannot be used as the basis for an adverse action against an
employee.
(2)
Proposal evaluation
The request for a flexible work
arrangement must meet the needs, requirements and constraints of both the
department/unit and the employee.
Flexible work arrangements should be
given consideration regardless of the reason for the request, if the request is
operationally feasible and if the individual meets the performance
criteria.
Supervisors should consult with the
office of human resources as necessary when considering a flexible work
arrangement proposal.
The immediate supervisor will review
the proposal with the employee. The senior supervisor, after consulting with
the immediate supervisor, shall make the final determination regarding the
request after considering the following factors:
(a)
The nature of the
employee's primary duties and the employee's overall ability to perform
them;
(b)
The volume of work, along with the operational and
customer needs of the department;
(c)
The types of
communication (such as meetings, consultations, presentations, and direct
interactions with students or others) needed for the employee's successful
completion of their duties;
(d)
For continuing
employees: the employee's demonstrated record of productivity and ability to
work with minimal face-to-face daily supervision; and
(e)
For continuing
employees: the employee's record of performance. Individuals who meet or exceed
performance standards are typically good candidates for flexible work
arrangements. Individuals in corrective action or on a performance improvement
plan may not be eligible for flexible work arrangements.
(3)
Decision
The decision on a proposal will be
communicated within thirty days of receipt.
If approved, the proposal (as submitted
or as modified by agreement) will be signed by the immediate supervisor, the
senior supervisor, and the employee.
A senior supervisor's disapproval of a
proposal will be provided in writing to the employee and based on the factors
listed in paragraph (E)(2) of this rule.
The office of human resources retains
the right to deny or discontinue a proposal that does not comply with local,
state, or federal laws or regulations or university rules or
policies.
(4)
Implementation, renewal, and discontinuance
Flexible work arrangements can be
approved for up to one year or less and will expire at the end of the approved
period.
Requests for renewal are possible but
not guaranteed. In addition to the factors listed in paragraph (E)(2) of this
rule, business operations, employee performance, rotation of flexible work
opportunities, and other circumstances will be considered in determining
whether to renew the arrangement. The renewal or non-renewal decision will be
communicated to the employee in writing (email is permissible) by the senior
supervisor.
Flexible work arrangements are subject
to ongoing review. When operational needs of the department or unit require a
change or cancellation to the arrangement, a fourteen-calendar-day notice will
be provided to the employee if feasible. If at any time the flexible work
arrangement is not in the best interests of the university, it can be
discontinued at the university's discretion.
(F)
Other
requirements
Employees traveling on business may or
may not be compensated for travel time depending on how the provisions of the
Fair Labor Standards Act apply to their flexible work circumstances. An
employee working off campus will not be reimbursed for commuting or
travel-related costs to or from their designated on-campus
location.
The provisions of the university's
telecommuting policy that address information security and confidential
information and technology and resource requirements apply to employees working
off-campus under a flexible work arrangement.
(G)
Temporary
flexible work arrangements
The university may permit variations of
flexible work arrangements that modify the provisions set forth in this policy
in response to a university-declared emergency or other operational or
educational needs. Any such variations, and the reasons for them, will be
communicated to the affected employees.
Equity impact statement: the policy has
been assessed for adverse differential impact on members of one or more
protected groups.
