CITY OF PORTLAND

HUMAN RESOURCES

ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOR & EXPECTATIONS

TELEWORKING

Purpose

Telework is a management tool that may be used to increase productivity, reduce employee commute trips, and accommodate special needs of employees. This option allows work arrangements to be tailored to each bureau’s unique requirements. The City of Portland encourages the use of telework in situations where it will work to the mutual benefit of employees, the City, and the City's customers. Telework is not a benefit, rather, it is one of several work options used at the supervisor's discretion, such as flexible work schedules and job sharing. The purpose of this administrative rule is to define telework guidelines and procedures.

Applicability

All City Employees

Definitions

Telework is identified as working arrangements in which the workplace is located at least part time at an alternate location, such as an employee’s residence, or a satellite office located closer to the employee’s residence than the employee’s regular office.

Routine telework is identified as telework which is a regular and recurring part of the employee’s work schedule.

Ad hoc telework is identified as occasional telework.

Alternate work site is identified as a workplace other than the employee’s regular work location.

Home office is identified as any alternate work site provided by the employee.

General Provisions

Employees are not authorized to work at home without prior approval of their supervisor.

Routine telework will be permitted for employees only under the terms of a written Telework Agreement (Attachment #1) reached between the employee and the employee’s supervisor and approved by the Bureau Director.

Ad hoc telework will be permitted with the authorization of the employee’s supervisor, subject to the Bureau Director’s or designee’s review, on a case by case basis. Telework lasting seven days or less will not require the pre-approval of the Bureau Director. The terms of ad hoc telework may be clarified in a written agreement.

The ad hoc agreement will define parameters, (e.g., equipment, software, and location) on an employee-signed form with supervisor and Bureau Director approval.

The Commissioner in Charge of the bureau must approve any teleworking or work at home arrangements for a bureau director. In addition, the agreement to telework or to work at home must be in writing.

Telework Agreement

The Telework Agreement must clearly define the following:

Telework schedule: Which hours the employee will work on City premises and which will be worked off City premises.

Location: The location of the off-premises work, and the means by which the employee can be reached during off-premises work.

Use of City resources: Any City-owned resources the employee will use off-premises, and the terms and conditions under which such resources will be used.

Use of employee's resources: Any employee resources that will be used and the costs which will be compensated by the City. Generally, however, the City does not reimburse costs associated with Teleworking.

Eligibility for Telework

An employee is eligible for telework with the approval of his/her Supervisor and the Bureau Director provided his/her job requires minimal direct supervision and face-to-face interaction or where such interaction can be successfully scheduled to permit telecommuting.

Supervisors are encouraged to use the following guidelines in selecting employees for telework:

□  The employee can accomplish his/her job without being on premises for some portion of his/her regular work schedule without detrimental impact on the productivity of the work group.

□  Clear work objectives can be set, tasks can be clearly defined, and results are measurable.

□  The employee can provide the appropriate equipment in the alternate work site, including at minimum a telephone where the employee can be reached, a suitable workspace, and, as necessary, a computer, printer, modem, fax, and other equipment as appropriate to the employee's job. The City may provide such equipment to the employee to enable telework arrangements, particularly for those employees needing remote access to bureau networks.

□  The employee shall have demonstrated, to the supervisor's satisfaction, their capability to work productively without direct supervision. Indicators include consistent high performance, excellent attendance, a positive attitude toward assigned work, and absence of discipline problems in the employee's work history.

□  The employee shall have demonstrated a willingness to participate in telework to the supervisor.

City Visits

The employee agrees that a supervisor or supervisor's designee may visit the employee's non-City work site to inspect the work site during normal work hours to ensure that it is safe from hazards and sufficient to conduct City business. The supervisor or supervisor’s designee may repeat such visits.

Reimbursable Expenses

Any variable expenses accrued as a result of the employee choosing to telework will be borne by the employee. The City will reimburse the employee for expenses it would have borne if the employee were working in the office. Supplies required to complete assigned work at the telecommute work site shall be obtained from the bureau during the telecommuter's in-office work periods. Out-of-pocket expenses for materials and supplies, which are otherwise available at the bureau, will not be reimbursed.

Emergencies

In case of an emergency, such as a power failure, that affects the employee's ability to work off City premises but not on City premises, the employee will be required to report to the employee's regular office location on City premises. If the employee is excused from work, the employee will be required to use vacation time, compensatory time, or take time without pay. If an office closure or emergency excuses other employees from working and work can proceed at the alternate worksite, teleworkers are not excused from working.

Computer Support

Computer support provided by the Information Technologies (IT) staff will only be performed on City premises and by appointment. The IT support will be limited to installing and removing City-owned software on the home computer and diagnosis of problems with City-owned software.

The employee is responsible for arranging an appointment and for transporting the home office computer to City premises for the installation of such software. The employee assumes all risk of damage to the computer resulting from the transport of the computer to and from the bureau.

The IT support staff will not be expected to diagnose or repair problems at the employee's off-premises work location.

The IT support staff will be responsible for maintaining and trouble shooting any bureau owned computer equipment such as laptops and modems.

City Hardware and Software

The City will not provide a computer, telephone equipment or office furniture to the employee. The employee must provide all telephone equipment and furniture necessary to perform duties on non-City premises. For certain employees, as determined by the Bureau Director, the bureau may provide computer equipment to allow the employee access to the remote access server. Otherwise, computer equipment including surge protectors must be provided by the employee.

The employee must install City provided virus protection software on the employee's home office computer and take all precautions necessary to avoid contamination of data.

The employee is responsible for ensuring that software used on non-City premises is compatible with City standards. The employee is responsible for converting files to City standard formats. The employee is responsible for protecting the integrity of copyrighted software, and following policies, procedures, and practices to the same extent applicable in the regular office.

If necessary, the City will provide and install City-owned software on the employee's home office computer, upon approval of the Supervisor and IT Manager. City-owned software will be used for City business only. The software installed on the employee’s home office computer will be documented and signed for by the employee, (Attachment No. 2). The employee is responsible for protecting the integrity of copyrighted software, and following policies, procedures, and practices related to them to the same extent applicable in the regular office.

The employee is responsible for installation, repair, and maintenance of all non-City-owned hardware and software.

Any software installed on the home office computer shall be removed from the computer by the IT staff when terminating the telework program or employment with the bureau.

Teleworkers are expected to adhere to all city rules while telecommuting as they would if working at their regular office location on City premises. This includes, but is not limited to the Administrative Rules on the Use of City Resources and Information Technologies.

For telework jobs that have security and/or confidentiality requirements, procedures must be established and followed to guarantee protection of confidential information. Procedures may include a locked or secure workplace, computer access passwords, or restricted use of files at the telework site. Security and/or confidentiality issues shall be addressed in the Telework Agreement.

Telework Product

Products, documents, and records used and/or developed while teleworking shall remain the property of the Bureau and the City and are subject to bureau and City rules regarding confidentiality and records retention requirements

Travel, Overtime and Leave

City Administrative Rules, collective bargaining agreements, and the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) shall apply to teleworkers. Requests for overtime must receive advance approval from the supervisor. Requests for leave shall be approved by the supervisor, in a manner consistent with City or bureau rules.

When teleworking, the City office is the official station for travel expense voucher purposes, except that travel to and from the employee's regular City office and alternate work site shall not be a reimbursable expense.

Worker's Compensation

Employee Injuries. The City will have the same responsibility for job-related accidents or injuries to the employee at the alternate worksite that it has at the employee's regular City office. See Administrative Rule on Workers’ Compensation.

Family and Visitor Injuries. The City does not assume responsibility for injury to any persons at the employee's residence or alternate workspace within it.

Work Hours and

Accessibility

Work Hours and Scheduling. The number of hours worked by the employee will not change because of telework. Work hours will be scheduled and any changes must be approved by the supervisor in advance.

Adequate Time in Office. The amount of time spent teleworking during a work week may vary according to each job, equipment needs and the individual Telework Authorization. Minimally, the telework schedule must allow adequate regular office time for meetings, access to facilities and supplies, and communication with other employees and with customers.

Accessibility. Teleworkers will maintain accessibility via telephone, fax, or pager during agreed-upon work hours or specific core hours of accessibility. Only the teleworker and the teleworker's supervisor will designate who will be given the teleworker's home office phone number.

Family Care and Duties. While telework may facilitate employees working around family responsibilities, employees who telework must have in place day care or other supervision for any member of the household requiring care through the workday.

Administrative Rule History

Adopted by Council March 6, 2002

Effective April 5, 2002