When an administrative or staff employee is hired, it is typically with the understanding and expectation that the employee will work from campus. In some cases, however, remote work arrangements can be mutually beneficial for both the university and the employee. This policy outlines standards for administrative and staff employees, including student employees, who request remote work arrangements for all or some of their regularly scheduled workweek. Unit management may also encourage remote work under certain circumstances, such as a pandemic, natural disaster, or building closure. This policy does not apply to faculty. Employees must contact the Equal Opportunity Office to request remote work arrangements due to a disability.

Brigham Young University is a student-centered university focused on student development. Mentoring of students, including student employees, is therefore central to the university’s mission. To provide mentoring opportunities that foster students’ spiritual and intellectual development, managers of student employees should carefully consider that impact before pursuing a remote work arrangement for themselves or a student employee.

An employee’s supervisor may approve an employee’s request for short-term remote work (two weeks or fewer) for circumstances such as inclement weather, a temporarily difficult commute, special projects, travel, or short-term medical needs that do not constitute a disability. Employees must receive prior approval from their supervisor for short-term remote work. Approval of a request for short-term remote work does not create an expectation of ongoing remote work, and frequent or repeated requests for short-term work should be addressed as a request for long-term remote work.

An employee’s request for long-term remote work (lasting more than two weeks) may be approved when it is in the university’s best interests, the employee’s job duties permit it, and the employee’s productivity will be maintained or enhanced. At a minimum, two levels of management are required to approve long-term remote work arrangements, with the first approver being the employee’s immediate supervisor. Under the direction of the responsible vice president or assistant to the president, additional levels of authorization may be required. Remote work arrangements must be documented in a remote work agreement before an administrative or staff employee begins working remotely. Submission of remote work agreements for student employees is strongly encouraged, though not required. See Remote Work Procedures for information about remote work considerations, request processes, and remote work agreements.

Management may terminate a remote work arrangement or modify the conditions under which an employee is permitted to work remotely at any time. Two levels of management are required to deny or discontinue a long-term remote work arrangement. Generally, managers should give an employee as much notice as possible if the conditions of a remote work agreement will be modified or terminated. Employees who wish to discontinue remote work arrangements should confer with their supervisors to plan for the employee to return to on-campus work.

An employee’s work status, job duties (including all essential functions), and other responsibilities should remain relatively unchanged in a remote work arrangement. Employees with remote work arrangements are required to work productively, meet all job performance standards, and work on campus as needed to meet organizational needs. Remote work arrangements are not a permanent substitute for childcare or eldercare arrangements.

Employees with remote work arrangements must comply with all BYU policies and procedures, including the university’s Church Educational System Dress and Grooming Principles and Expectations, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Hourly employees must comply with all timekeeping and overtime regulations and accurately record hours worked. Employees working remotely are expected to protect access to university computer systems and ensure the security, confidentiality, privacy, and integrity of university information and data by complying with the Information Use, Privacy, and Security Policy and Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources Policy. Other than exceptions outlined in the Out-of-State Work Policy, employees approved to work remotely are not authorized to work outside the state of Utah.

Unit management determines the university equipment and supplies that may be provided to employees working remotely and the expenses related to remote work that may be paid or reimbursed. Employees are responsible for maintaining their remote workspaces and keeping them free from hazards. Employees are also responsible for using and maintaining university equipment and supplies in a safe and appropriate manner. Employees are required to report any work-related illness or injuries to their supervisors in accordance with the Risk Management and Safety Policy. Employees must return university equipment and any unused supplies upon termination of a remote work arrangement.