Remote Working Guidelines For Staff Due to COVID-19

The following guidelines will be in effect indefinitely and are subject to change at any time based on direction from the Governor of the State of Ohio, Centers for Disease Control, Congress of the United States, or other applicable authority.

Revised April 1, 2020

Interim Guidelines for COVID-19

• Employees working from home must be available by phone or email during the course of normal business hours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, for those employees with childcare issues or other caregiver responsibilities, flexibility will be permitted in order to complete daily work assignments.   If you are unable to work the entire day, you must take sick or vacation time for the balance of the day not worked.   
• Employees who are unable to perform work at home will not be paid unless they use sick or vacation time.
• Employees working remotely should forward their office phone to home or cell phone or be able to retrieve voicemail from their computer.
• Senior Leadership Team members will determine essential personnel who will be permitted on campus during the Stay at Home period.
• Supervisors of remote student workers must gain approval of their Vice President before authorizing remote student work. The Vice President should provide to the human resources department the students’ names, duration of their assignment, and total number of hours they work per week. Under no circumstances will remote work be approved beyond the end of spring semester.          
• Any material/equipment/files removed from campus should be inventoried and approved when removed and accounted for when returned.
• Employees should familiarize themselves with OWU polices regarding use/misuse of sensitive documents and how to handle appropriately while working off campus. Please see OWU Information Services webpage for additional information.

Updated March 17, 2020, and effective through April 3, 2020

Interim Guidelines for COVID-19

• Approval to work from home during this period of time must be provided by the direct supervisor and the Senior Leadership Team member and communicated to the human resources department.
• Requests are valid through April 3 and will need to be reauthorized to continue.
• Employees working from home must be available by phone or email during the course of normal business hours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, for those employees with childcare issues, flexibility will be permitted in order to complete daily work assignments. If you are unable to work the entire day, you must take sick or vacation time for the balance of the day not worked.
• Employees who are uncomfortable or unwilling to work on campus and are unable to perform work at home will not be paid unless they use sick or vacation time.
• Employees working remotely should forward their office phone to home or cell phone or be able to retrieve voicemail from their computer.
• Senior Leadership Team members will determine which departments, if any, are required to remain open and at what level of staffing. Departments may need to prioritize or rotate those approved and working from home as necessary.
• Students may work on-campus positions as available and certain students may work remotely with the approval of the division vice president. Supervisors of remote student workers must provide to the human resources department the students’ names, duration of their assignment, and total number of hours they work per week. Under no circumstances will remote work be approved beyond the end of spring semester.
• For those approved to work at home, the expectation is that all critical aspects of the position be accomplished and that “working from home” is not an excuse for not getting something completed.
• At the onset of working from home, the employee must verify that they have the technical capabilities to work effectively from home (VPN, ADP, MyOWU, email, phone, etc.)
• Any material/equipment/files removed from campus should be inventoried and approved when removed and accounted for when returned.
• Employees should familiarize themselves with OWU polices regarding use/misuse of sensitive documents and how to handle appropriately while working off campus. Please see OWU Information Services webpage for additional information.
• Employees should be proactive reviewing calendar schedules and appointments and reschedule as necessary.
• Employees should not bring children to campus during normal work hours. Employees should work from home or use available sick or vacation time to care for children.

Under no circumstances should employees feeling ill be present on campus. Employees cannot sequester themselves in an office and continue to work. If you are ill you are required to stay home, you should utilize your sick time benefit. Employees with extended illnesses will be placed on FMLA.