I. Introduction, Definitions, and Benefits, a. Introduction, The University of Massachusetts President’s Office (UMPO) hybrid pilot program began on Monday, September 13, 2021. In May of 2022, the UMPO Senior Executive Team (SET) which includes the President, and his direct reports, extended the hybrid work pilot until September of 2023. The SET decided to implement the hybrid work guidelines on a permanent basis effective July 1, 2023. The UMPO reserves…, b. Scope of Guidelines, The guidelines in this document apply to non-unit (also referred to as non-union) employees who are employed by the UMPO., c. Definitions of Telework and Hybrid Work, Telework, – also known as telecommuting or working remotely – is an alternative workplace arrangement which provides employees the opportunity to work at a place other than a UMPO assigned on-site work location. A hybrid work model is a workplace arrangement that seeks to capture the benefits of both on-site work and telework and consists of employees who have a mix of both as part of their regular…, II. Department and Individual Hybrid Schedule, The regular hours of operation for UMPO are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (excluding holidays). Departments must be staffed and providing service during those hours. However, staffing and the provision of services may consist of a blend of on-site and remote work., a. Department Hybrid Schedule, Some departments may adopt a hybrid work schedule for the entire department (as opposed to for an individual employee). This schedule will specify the hours that the department is staffed on-site and the hours that some or all employees in the department will be teleworking. The department’s hybrid schedule must be based on the business needs of the University. Decisions about the hybrid work…, b. Business Unit Hybrid Schedule, Some business units within a department may adopt their own distinct hybrid schedule based on distinct business needs. This is allowed provided the business unit hybrid schedule is consistent with the department hybrid schedule. Table 2 provides an example of a business unit hybrid work schedule. Table 2: Example Business Unit Hybrid Work Schedule The SET member determines the following for a…, c. Individual Employee Schedule, In addition, some departments may adopt a hybrid work schedule for the department but grant an individual employee a hybrid schedule that differs from the hybrid schedule that was authorized for the rest of department or business unit. (This could also include a situation where any employee seeks to be on-site full time and not have a hybrid schedule.) In these circumstances, the SET member, or…, d. Variations and Flexibility in Schedules, Whether a department opts to have a department hybrid schedule or a department hybrid schedule with a business unit hybrid schedule, and/or some individual hybrid schedules, there may be differences in employees’ schedules based on the nature of their position and the needs of the business unit. There will be variations in the number of on-site and telework days that any individual employee works…, e. Variation in the Beginning and End of the Workday, The regular hours of operation for UMPO are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM (excluding holidays) including a half hour lunchbreak. However, on a case-by-case basis, a SET member, or their designee, may authorize an employee to have a different beginning and end time within a workday, provided that the employee works the same number of hours that day. (This variation in the beginning…, f. Temporary Incidental Variations, An employee and their supervisor can agree to temporary incidental changes to the employee’s hybrid work schedule. For example, a supervisor can direct an employee to work on-site on a different day for the next four weeks to attend an on-site training program; or the supervisor and the employee can agree that the employee will telework on a different day other than the one scheduled (i.e.,…, g. Discontinuation of Hybrid Work, A SET member can modify or discontinue a department, business unit, or individual employee’s hybrid work schedule if they determine a modification or discontinuation is in the business interest of the department or business unit. The SET member is encouraged to provide any impacted parties with as much notice as is possible., III. Hybrid Position Classification, a. Classifications, Each position should be classified in one of four categories below:, Fully On-Site, – These employees report to their on-site work location for their full work week, and they do not work remotely as a regular part of the schedule. (Some incidental remote work may be approved by the department head, but not as part of the employee’s regular schedule.), Regular Reporting, – These employees report to the on-site work location on a regularly scheduled basis. On the workdays employees are not designated to be on-site, they are teleworking. Designated on-site workdays may range from one day per month to a few days per week based on their department’s hybrid schedule, the specific job duties of the individual position and the need to physically staff their department’s…, On-Site As Needed, – These employees have an on-site work location to which they report only when directed to do so by their department head or supervisor. However, these employees primarily work remotely. Department heads are authorized to direct the employee to report on-site for meetings, trainings or other business needs. Department heads are expected to provide these employees with reasonable notice, to the…, Fully Remote, – These employees work remotely, and there is no expectation that they be available to report on-site. Except for fully remote employees, each employee will have a designated work location. This loction will be the location to which the employee reports, whether on a full-time basis, on a regular reporting basis, or when directed to report on-site by their department head or supervisor. The most…, IV. Operational Need, Hybrid Work Assessment and New Hires, a. Operational Need, Each department must have the necessary staff on-site to operate during its designated on-site business hours. Hybrid work must not result in a decrease in productivity, a decrease in communication or coordination, or a decrease in the level of service to internal or external customers., b. Reassignment of Work, A hybrid work schedule must not result in an employee performing different work while teleworking than they would perform if they were working on-site. Additionally, hybrid work should not result in any of the duties of the employee being reassigned to other employees., c. Types of Work Suited for Telework, Different types of work have characteristics that are well suited to telework assignments while other types of work are less so. When evaluating whether to allow an employee to telework, a department head should consider these work characteristics. In general, work with easily measured outputs is better suited to telework assignments. Characteristics of work that are not well suited to telework…, d. Onboarding New Employees, Generally, except for fully remote employees, an employee’s first day on the payroll should be on-site. On an exception basis, an employee may be onboarded remotely. A representative of the hiring department must be on-site on the first day that a new employee is on-site. The department representative should greet the new employee and provide the new employee with information specific to the…, V. Availability While Teleworking, a. Availability, When teleworking, an employee must be readily available by email, telephone, web conferencing and/or the other relevant communications tools deemed necessary by their department (e.g., Slack) during their regularly scheduled work hours., b. Non-Work Related Responsibilities While Teleworking, All workplace policies remain in effect while teleworking including time and attendance, and expectations for performance and conduct. Employees who telework must be able to commit their attention to work during their agreed upon hours and are not to perform non-work related activities during work hours. However, in circumstances when an employee is teleworking due to a declared state of…, c. Temporary Closing of On-Site Work and Temporary Inability to Telework, In the event UMPO must close an office location because of weather, construction/renovations, or other circumstances, employees who are classified as regular reporting, on-site as needed, and fully remote are expected to telework during this period. Should such employee not have the capabilities to telework (because of a power outage or similar circumstance), the employee may be excused from work…, VI. Statues, Leave and Accommodations, a. Paid Leave, Employees should continue to use paid leave, including vacation, sick, family and medical leave in accordance with existing practice while working a hybrid work schedule. Requests for paid time off must be approved in advance in accordance with standard operating procedures within the employee’s department. Department heads and supervisors should inform all employees, whether they work on-site or…, b. Workers’ Compensation and Safety, Employees will be covered under applicable workers’ compensation laws if injured while performing official duties while teleworking. While teleworking, employees are required to maintain a safe working environment. The UMPO is not liable for any damages to the employee’s property that results from participation in the hybrid work pilot., c. Tax Status for Employees who live and/or regularly work outside Massachusetts, If an employee lives outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and/or if they regularly work outside the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, then the employee needs to consult with Human Resources and Treasury to ensure they understand any obligation or risk related to their state taxes., d. Requests from Employees to Remain Fully Remote For Documented Medical Reasons, This request will be handled consistent with the process for addressing reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If an employee is unable to safely work on-site, they will need to provide the Senior Benefits Generalist (Katie Temple) with medical documentation that supports that position. If supported by documentation, then Human Resources and the employee’s…, VII. Office Space and Supplies, a. On-Site Office Space Assignment, The UMPO’s location is designed to meet the needs of today’s UMPO workforce, in which most employees work on site two days per week or are on-site as needed. Since a priority during on-site workdays is collaboration, the location will have additional conference rooms, huddle spaces, and other resources to promote face-to-face communication and teamwork. The location will incorporate the use of a…, b. Office Supplies and Furniture, Except for fully remote employees, employees are responsible for securing the office supplies that they need to telework when they are on-site. The UMPO is not responsible for shipping office supplies to employees. Employees who are classified as on-site as needed are responsible for coming on-site if they need office supplies. To the greatest extent possible, UMPO printing should take place on-…, c. Other Costs, An employee with a hybrid work schedule is responsible for operating costs, office furniture (including standing desks), home maintenance, or any incidental cost (e.g., utilities including Internet costs) associated with the employee’s use of their residence or any other location for telework. Employee may not remove UMPO office chairs or other office furniture from the on-site UMPO office for a…, d. Travel Expenses, When employees do report to their designated on-site work location, they are not eligible to be paid for the time it takes to commute to the office and reimbursed for travel expenses related to their commute. Employees who are directed to report to a location other than their designated on-site work location on an incidental basis may be paid for travel expenses in accordance with the University…, VIII. Information Technology, When working remotely, employees must use their university-issued laptop, and not a personal laptop. Except for the identified portable equipment (see Section (b) below), employees are not authorized to remove other IT equipment from their on-site location. University-issued equipment is for employee use only. Employees are required to report any problems with their university-issued equipment to…, a. On-Site IT Equipment, The UMPO will equip each on-site work point with the following: 1 or 2 monitors External camera (if not built into the monitor) Wired keyboard and mouse Docking station This equipment may not be removed from the on-site office., b. Portable IT Equipment, Employees will be provided with a UMPO owned laptop and may all receive the additional UMPO-owned portable equipment: Wireless keyboard/mouse Headset Laptop bag Employees are expected to bring their individual portable IT equipment with them when they work on-site and they are authorized to remove this equipment from the on-site office for the purpose of working remotely. Employees are…, c. IT Security Requirements, Employees who telework must comply with all UITS security guidelines and requirements (see https://www.umassp.edu/uits/security-center) and protect all University electronic and hard copy records and data against unauthorized disclosure, access, destruction, etc. Files and other information that are subject to confidentiality regulations must be secured from unauthorized access while at the…
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FERPA can be broken down into two parts; access and release., FERPA Access, An “educational agency or institution” must grant students who are or have been in attendance at the educational institution the right to inspect and review their education records. 20 U.S.C. §1232g (a)(1)(A). An “educational agency or institution” must grant students a hearing to challenge the content of education records, correct or delete inaccurate information, and insert a written…, Definitions, Educational agency or institution, - "any public or private agency or institution which is the recipient of funds under any applicable program.” 20 U.S.C. §1232g (a)(3). , Education record, (with exceptions) - "those records, files, documents, and other materials which contain information directly related to a student; and are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a person acting for such agency or institution.” 20 U.S.C. §1232g (a)(4)(A). , Record, - "any information recorded in any way, including, but not limited to, handwriting, print, computer media, video or audio tape, film, microfilm, and microfiche." 34 CFR §99.3. "Record" does not include information that is not "recorded," i.e. personal knowledge., Directly related, - contains "personally identifiable information" about that student., Personally Identifiable Information, - includes, but is not limited to— The student's name; The name of the student's parent or other family members; The address of the student or student's family; A personal identifier, such as the student's social security number, student number, or biometric record; Other indirect identifiers, such as the student's date of birth, place of birth, and mother's maiden name; Other information that,…, Exceptions to definition of “education record”, Treatment records made or maintained by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting in his professional or paraprofessional capacity. 20 U.S.C. §1232g (a)(4)(B)(iv). Records of non-student employees. The Department of Education has interpreted this exemption not to include “records relating to an individual in attendance at the agency or…, FERPA Release, FERPA releases are prohibited (sort of). General Rule - An “educational agency or institution” may not (with certain exceptions) release “education records (or personally identifiable information contained therein other than directory information)” without the consent of the student. 20 U.S.C. § 1232g (b)(1). Permitted/ Unconsented Releases – They’re Everywhere, Permitted Releases , Other school officials (within the University) with legitimate educational interests; Defined by the University: "University officials" = “any professional employee who is head of an office, department, school, college, division, or their specified designee.” also includes “any contractor, consultant, volunteer of other party to whom UMass Amherst has outsourced institutional services or…
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