Remote Working and Telework Policy

Responsibilities Under This Policy:

The following departments have responsibilities under this policy to implement, manage and maintain the conditions outlined within this policy and all supporting documents and processes:

Occupational Health and Safety:

• Provide health and safety-related advice and training where required on the implementation of this policy.
• Review and recommend provisions for safe remote working – including physical and equipment requirements.
• Assist with conducting assessments related to remote working situations that may impact the ability of the employee to safely perform their job, or that may put others at risk.
• Support the process of incident/accident reporting.

Information Technology Services:

• Provide training and advice on technological support and/or issues, where required on the implementation of this policy.
• Support the ability of remote employees to perform their remote work effectively and safely through the provision of approved technology resources, tools, software and access.
• Provide guidelines, expectations and requirements to maintaining the College’s confidential data, system integrity and security.
• Provide resource aids to the employees to learn how to use certain technologies.
• Resolve access issues as they occur.
• Investigate compliance with institutional policies.

Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness:

• Provide HR-related training and advice where required on the implementation of this policy.
• Provide clear guidelines for the assessment and determination of eligibility for remote working.
• Devise HR practices that support remote working.
• Provide training as needed.

Legal and Risk Management:

• Provide legal advice and opinions on questions related to the successful implementation of this policy.
• Address legal compliance issues.
• Provide legal and employment law advice on contracts and required agreements that govern remote working.

Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Diversity:

• Provide advice and opinions on questions related to human rights, accommodation and equity.
• Monitor the remote working process to ensure human rights, equity and accommodation needs are respected and met.

Managers and Supervisors:

• Ensure that all employees within their work team are aware of this policy and the provisions outlined herein.
• Track any borrowed equipment loaned by Humber.
• Conduct the remote working assessments as required, based on a request, or based on the determination that the job can be/will be a remote working job. Assessments should be conducted using the “Remote Working Arrangement Assessment” form, attached hereto as Appendix B.
• Work in collaboration with the Occupational Health, Information Technology Services and Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness divisions to implement remote working arrangements.
• Check that appropriate precautions are being taken in accordance with the prescribed control measures to reduce any risks that may arise due to remote working arrangements.
• Ensure necessary records are kept related to remote working arrangements
• Ensure a formal “Remote Working Arrangement” document is completed and agreed to by the employee, attached hereto as Appendix C.
• Manage the performance of the remote worker.
• Ensure employees who are working remotely are well connected with the work of the team and the College community.

Employees:

• Request access to remote working arrangements.
• Comply with the conditions outlined in this policy.
• Comply with the conditions outlined in the Remote Working Arrangement developed and agreed to by the employee and the supervisor/manager.
• Maintain a strong connection with their work team and the College community through active participation in activities such as meetings, discussions and training.

Types of Remote Work Arrangement:

There are four (4) types of remote work covered under this policy:

Occasional or as-needed remote work. Typically a short-term remote work arrangement where the employee works from home or some other location for all or some of their regularly scheduled work hours in order to deal with circumstances that may include:

• Situations such as services/deliveries that require the employee to be available at home for the services/deliveries.
• Short-term emergencies that make it dangerous or creates a situation that prolongs the time it takes getting to work. This may include weather conditions where the campus is closed or other short-term emergencies which make physical presence on campus a risk.
• Focus days when an employee requests time to work remotely to be able to better focus on and dedicate time to a specific project or piece of work.
• Strike or work stoppages that may present risks to employees’ person or property.
• Unexpected or planned activities occurring at any of Humber’s campuses that create a risk to employees coming on Campus. This may include public works, health and safety risks, security breaches, strikes by external contractors, or other workplace hazards and events.

A time limited, temporary or flexible remote work arrangement. A longer term arrangement, where the employee works from home part of the time on a regular basis, under the following types of circumstances:

• A short term project.
• Temporary medical reasons (based upon a full assessment and recommendation from a qualified medical practitioner and in consultation and in accordance with Humber’s disability management process and policy). Such an arrangement would not fall under this policy, but rather would be considered a medical accommodation and would follow the process and procedures for that process.
• Work related travel away from campus.
• A special contractual agreement or condition requiring the employee to work from home 2-3 times per week or for a specifically defined number of days per week.
• As a contingency plan requirement, defined by Humber.
• Other circumstances agreed upon the employee, and, at the manager’s discretion.

A permanent remote worker. This involves regular remote work, where the employee works from home 100% of the time and may never or rarely come to the College. This type of jointly contracted work arrangement is rare, and occurs typically under the following circumstances:

• Is contracted as a remote worker and typically is not required to be on any of Humber’s campuses.
• The employee negotiates a remote work arrangement during the offer process.
• A talent acquisition concern, where the hard to find skill set is possessed by an employee who either negotiates remote work during the offer process, or is located where they cannot attend on site. The employee can deliver the same level of effectiveness (meeting agreed deliverables, quality of output and providing the same level of availability and responsiveness) working remotely, and where face to face or on-campus working is not a strict requirement.
• Temporary campus closure or relocation.
• A diagnosed medical condition, in accordance with Humber’s disability management process and policy that prevents the employee from being physically on Campus. Such an arrangement would not fall under this policy, but rather would be considered a medical accommodation and would follow the process and procedures for that process.
• The result of a divisional/departmental review of operational efficiencies that justify remote working arrangements as a bona-fide solution to institutional issues of space challenges, retention, motivation, productivity, overhead expense and environment imprint management, which would present options around remote work arrangements.

Critical situation remote work. An unexpected, undefined and evolving situation that forces all employees or a large percentage of employees to work from home or some other location. Remote working in critical situations may be mandatory as opposed to optional. Such situations are temporary by nature and temporary remote working arrangements are understood not to alter the nature or typical working arrangements of any job. Generally, the timeframe for this work arrangement is undetermined and dictated by circumstances outside the direct control of the College, such as:

• Political situations – at a national or provincial level that exposes employees to safety risks if they venture to and from the College.
• Health situations – such as a pandemic where relevant Public Health officials have prescribed or directed that employees remain off campus, stay at home or practice physical distancing or have recommended the closure of the College. Example, the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Any act affecting employees’ ability to work at College campuses that can be categorized as a force majeure (an act that occurs due to a superior or irresistible force, or an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled such as a natural disaster).

For each type of remote working arrangement described above, there are many considerations, specific eligibility and careful documentation requirements. Each of these are described within the supporting guideline documents and forms.