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DEABA-AP: Working Remotely

 

Working remotely may be an option that allows some employees to work at home, on the road, or in a satellite location for all or part of their workweek based on their role or situation and as determined by their administrator/program director and subject to the approval of the superintendent. These arrangements are approved on an as-needed basis only, with no expectation of ongoing continuance. Determination of appropriate implementation will be based upon district needs, the viability of individual roles/responsibilities, and individual employee needs/requests. Working remotely may be appropriate for some employees and jobs but not for others. Working remotely is not an entitlement and may be discontinued at the discretion of the district. Working remotely is an option that allows employees to complete their duties and responsibilities from a location other than their assigned school or office.

ELIGIBILITY 

The administrator/program director shall determine the eligibility of the employee to work remotely, as well as their work functions during the remote work period or as determined by other circumstances. In order for an employee to be eligible for remote work, their duties must be of a nature such that the majority of tasks can be performed effectively from offsite.

When the employee requesting to work remotely holds a supervisory role in the district, they must be able to effectively manage their own workload and the needs of their staff.

If working remotely or other work conditions are deemed necessary by the district as a result of an emergency situation and certain roles are not suited for working remotely or an employee is unwilling to work remotely, the situation must be addressed with the administrator/program director and the Human Resources Director. During emergency situations, employees may be asked to adjust schedules and time between shifts to minimize risk, which may include a combination of remote work and a staggered workday or work week.

It is important to note that the phrase “working remotely” is synonymous with the term “telework,” which is used in federal legislation.

DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY

Aside from emergency closings, medical eligibility, and other considerations, ideal qualifications for working remotely include, as determined by the individual’s supervisor:

  • Nature of the individual’s work,
  • Exhibited behaviors of self-discipline and self-motivation,
  • Strong past and current job performance that meets or exceeds expectations; and
  • A supervisor capable of managing a remote worker. Not all district positions may be eligible to work remotely.

DURATION

All alternative work arrangements are subject to review by the Director of Human Resources and the Superintendent. During alternative work arrangements, the administrator/program director will monitor and consider specific guidance from federal, state, and local authorities, and will balance business and educational needs with the need to support the health and wellbeing of employees and the public. The administrator/program director may end the alternate work arrangement at any time and employees will be expected to resume regular worksite arrangements that were in place prior to the alternative work arrangement.

EQUIPMENT AND SECURITY

Human Resources, administrators, technology, and the remote work employee will determine appropriate equipment, software, and technology needs. Unless otherwise determined, the employee must provide his/her own furniture, telephone, internet, and other remote work office essentials. If additional technology, supply, or equipment needs are identified, it must be first approved by the employee’s supervisor. Remote work employees agree to not copy district data or programs to any external personal devices. Remote work employees will be expected to ensure, to the best of their ability, the protection of personally identifiable and confidential information accessible from their home office and are required to adhere to all of the district’s information security standards.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY

The remote work employee will establish an appropriate work environment for work purposes. Ideally this will include a separate area free from distractions, including, but not limited to, children and pets. The objective is to have as professional a work environment as if they were working at any physical district location to the extent possible given the rapid implementation of the alternative remote work arrangement. Technical support provided by the technology department will be provided remotely or on district premises. Injuries sustained by the employee while at their designated remote work location and in conjunction with their regular work duties will be covered by the district’s Workforce Safety insurance policy. Remote work employees are responsible for notifying Human Resources and their immediate supervisor of such injuries and should complete the Employee Injury Report and follow procedures found on the district website. The employee is liable for any injuries sustained by visitors to their work site.

CHILD AND ELDER CARE

Though working remotely is not designed to be a replacement for appropriate child or elder care, it is acknowledged that due to possible events outside the employee’s control (i.e. school closures, event cancellation, etc.) situations may develop where an employee will need to provide child or elder care during their designated work day. Although an employee’s schedule may be modified to accommodate child or elder care needs, the focus of the arrangement to the extent possible should remain on job performance and meeting business and educational demands. Should the employee need to modify their remote working schedule, they should seek prior approval from their administrator/program director. Employees who do not feel they can adequately perform their role or meet expectations of the remote work arrangement should proactively discuss those concerns with their administrator/program director before entering into such an agreement.

GUIDELINES FOR WORKING REMOTELY

The employment relationship for an employee working remotely stays the same as for employees working onsite. Compensation does not change, and employees are expected to follow existing job requirements, contracts, district policies and procedures, and all expectations that are in effect on school property. Remote working employees shall:

  1. Remain signed in and available on the district’s designated online collaboration platform (i.e.: MS Teams). The employee must also be accessible by email and phone during work hours.
    1. Absences (including unavailability during work hours) must be pre-approved and entered in the attendance system according to district procedure.
    2. Alterations to the employee’s standard workday schedule must be pre-approved by their supervisor.
  2. Hourly staff are required to clock in and out.  Approval for overtime must be requested and approved by the direct supervisor prior to working the overtime.
  3. Promptly notify their supervisor when unable to perform work assignments due to illness, equipment failure, or other unforeseen circumstances.
  4. Alter their schedule to attend mandatory meetings or other situations needing a physical presence and/or as needed by the supervisor.
  5. Maintain and protect equipment on loan from the district. Equipment on loan shall be used for work-related purposes only and use is governed by the Use of the West Fargo School District Computer Network policy and regulations.
  6. Protect all data and ensure compliance with all regulations regarding confidentiality of materials.  Records generated or accessed during remote working remain subject to applicable open records laws.
  7. One round-trip commute per day from the remote work site to a district facility for required meetings would be the responsibility of the employee and not be reimbursable mileage.
  8. Supervisors shall regularly check employee compliance with the remote working procedure, relevant policies and guidelines, performance standards, expectations for work products, productivity, and time accountability.  An employee’s performance when working remotely shall be monitored in the same manner as employees at their assigned school or office.
  9. The employee must determine any tax or legal implications under IRS, state and local government laws, and/or restrictions of working out of a home-based office. Responsibility for fulfilling all obligations in this area rests solely with the employee.

Adopted: 07/01/2021
Reviewed:
Revised: