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Telecommuting Policy Template

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For some positions within any organization, working away from the office, or telecommuting, may be possible. Telecommuting can be a privilege, or a necessity, or a combination of both, depending upon the circumstances.

Certain positions may from time to time be suitable for performance outside the workplace, and in such a case, an employee may want to be allowed to perform all or part of the duties of the position away from the office on a temporary or ongoing basis.

General rules need to be applied if telecommuting is allowed:

  • Identify the duties that will be performed away from the office;
  • Identify how deadlines will be handled;
  • Identify the hours to be worked;
  • Identify how hours worked will be recorded;
  • Identify if overtime is to be handled any differently than in the office, how it will be handled;
  • Identify the amount of notice to be given of any change in the arrangement;
  • Identify how much time the employee should spend in the office and when the employee should report back to the office;
  • Identify how the employee and the organization will be able to contact each other during the workday;
  • Identify any changes in workplace policies that may be necessary due to the telecommuting arrangement; and
  • Confirm the employee's understanding and agreement that the telecommuting arrangement is at the will of the organization and may be altered or terminated at any time.

All of these issues and more are covered in the Work Agreement that is included with the template. Just the Work Agreement is worth the cost of the policy. It includes the following main sections:

  • Work location and schedule
  • Work standards and performance
  • Compensation and benefits
  • Equipment and expenses
  • Safety
  • Confidentiality and Security
  • Initiation and termination of agreement.

That is just part of what you get with the policy template. Here are a few comments from some of the users who have implemented this template.

CFO Fortune 50 company - "The best decision that we made -- reduced costs, improved productivity, and improved employee morale>"

CIO Fortune 100 company - "Before we implemented this policy there was no rhyme or reason behind who could telecommute and who could not. This policy added logic and a clear set of rule on who, what, and why telecommuting was done within all of our divisions

VP HR Fortune 500 company - "We eliminated all of arbitrary ways that different groups and individuals allowed Telecommuting. We addressed the fairness issues as well as set the ground rules for compliance with all of the various state and federal compliance equipments.

Download Table of Contents

Click the download button above ad you will get the full table of contents of this must have policy. As a bonus the template includes a Safety Program Checklist that can be used to minimize your enterprise's exposure to Worker's Compensation Claims.

If you are not convinced on why telecommuting makes sense, here are some of our clients' justifications:

  • Flexible Work Hours - If employees telecommute then their schedules become more flexible. This can provide more coverage in off-hours and for different time zones.
  • Spend Less Money - Telecommuter's can save money on transportation costs such as gas, parking, public transportation, work clothes, and dry cleaning bills.  Employers can save money by reducing overhead and retaining employees.
  • Rush Less -Telecommuter's have greater flexibility to plan non work-related activities around their business schedule instead of searching for time in the early morning, late evening, or during lunch.
  • Save Time - Telecommuter's will save the time they now take to commute to their place of employment.
  • Avoid Distractions - At times employees in an office setting can be distracted from their work by untimely interruptions from peers, impromptu meetings, or pulled away onto other projects.  Telecommuter's may find themselves more productive.
  • More Family Time Better Morale - Working from home usually means telecommuter have more time with their family.
  • Green Solution That Helps The Environment - Working from home part or full-time reduces the auto emissions and decreases gas consumption.
  • Stay Healthy - Working from home decreases the stress caused by inflexible hours, commuting time and costs, continual rushing to unmet family needs, sitting idle during a commute and provides time to exercise or pursue endeavors of particular interest to you.
  • Potential Tax Deductions - Income deductions are available for home-based work-related expenses such as fax, scanner, phone, computer and office supplies.
  • Reduce the Need for Outsourcing or Off-shoring Work - Working from home helps keep jobs domestic and reduces need or desire for business and industry to contract with other countries for work that can be done at sites other than the main office.

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