The University of Chicago Human Resources

220 - Alternative Work Arrangements

Subject: Alternative Work Arrangements

Section: U220

Date: July 1, 2024

PURPOSE:

To provide guidance in establishing alternative work arrangements for staff employees whose work can be performed outside a University office and/or traditional work schedule on a temporary or long-term basis.

POLICY:

The University of Chicago values the benefits of working in an in-person collaborative environment, and also recognizes there may be situations when alternative work arrangements are appropriate. Alternative work arrangements offer alternative approaches to getting work done through nontraditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures. Requests for alternative work arrangements may be made by individual employees or unit leaders, who should first discuss the option with their supervisor.

Alternative work arrangements are appropriate for some employees and some jobs but not all employees and all positions. No University employee is entitled to or guaranteed an alternative work arrangement. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis using reasoned judgment and taking into consideration a variety of factors that inform whether an alternative work arrangement is feasible and appropriate. Employees who are on alternative work arrangements, like all employees, are expected to be cooperative and willing to adapt to meet the unit’s needs, including management and colleagues work schedules. Alternative work schedules will be reviewed periodically and may be modified or discontinued.

Typical alternative work options include flextime, remote work, compressed work schedules, part-time, and job-sharing assignments. The requests may cover entire units, specific job titles, individuals, or multiple employees. These arrangements must support the University’s mission, unit goals, and when appropriate, address the following matters:

• Whether the request is reasonable given the employee’s role and essential job functions;
• How the requested arrangement(s) compares to others within the department and to traditional work arrangements with regard to the equitable treatment of employees;
• The management plan(s) of employee(s) impacted by the request;
• The management plan(s) for employee(s) within the unit not impacted by the request;
• Legal, data security and other compliance considerations;
• How the arrangement(s) impacts the unit’s budget;
• How the unit’s physical space is impacted by the arrangement(s).
• In the case of remote work, the proposed remote work location.

Alternative work arrangements can be long-term arrangements or time-delimited to respond to a particular short-term situation. This policy does not change or amend the process for requesting reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employees requesting reasonable accommodations for a disability should contact their unit HR representative or Employee and Labor Relations.

Guidelines:

1. Employees for whom an alternative work arrangement is approved remain obligated to comply with all University rules, policies, and procedures, including but not limited to all HR policies.

2. Typical alternative work arrangements include:

a. Flextime is the most requested and easiest to manage option. Flextime offers flexibility in arrival, departure, and/or break times, typically with a designated core midday schedule during which employees are customarily at the work site.

b. Remote work, often referred to as a telecommuting assignment, allows for the job to be performed off-site on a regular, recurring basis. Remote work assignments may be comprised of working full-time from home or another location or working in the office on a hybrid schedule one or more days per week. Employees who work outside of the Chicagoland area for weeks or months in a given year should consult with Central HR.

c. Compressed work schedule is when a traditional 37.5- to 40-hour workweek is condensed into fewer than 5 days of work. Common compressed work schedules for the traditional workweeks include: four 10-hour days for a 40-hour week; or three 10-hour days and one 7.5-hour day for a 37.5-hour workweek.

d.  Part-time work is a regular arrangement for workweeks of 34 hours or fewer. Part-time work is different from a temporary work assignment, which is where an employee is expected to have a temporary, nonrecurring relationship to the workplace. Regular part-time employees who work 20 hours per week or more are eligible for benefits. A reduction in hours will result in a corresponding adjustment of compensation and could result in a change in benefits eligibility. 

e. Job sharing is when two staff employees share the responsibilities of one full-time position. Each staff member shares a specific proportion of a full-time position. Alternative schedules can be designed to meet the needs of the job sharers and the unit. Normally, employees sharing one job would be considered regular part-time employees.

3. Employees interested in an alternative work arrangement should submit a written request to their supervisor for consideration. If accepted, the supervisor, unit HR Partner, and the employee will create an alternative work arrangement agreement. Units may submit a request for an alternative work arrangement for one or more employees to the unit leadership and HR Partner for review. This includes review of offer letters with alternative work provisions prior to submitting the letter to candidates.

a.  An alternative work arrangement agreement should provide details of the arrangement, including job responsibilities (time commitments, availability, performance expectations), management plans for the employee(s), and/or conditions of employment (i.e., compensation, benefits, work location, work schedule, and/or duration of the arrangement), and should include an acknowledgement that the remotely working employee must review and comply with this Policy U220 and must comply with all other applicable University HR, financial, and other administrative policies.

b.  Additionally, the agreement should include provisions requiring employees to attend specific meetings in-person and/or temporarily end their alternative work arrangement and return to in-person work to complete specific assignments or during previously scheduled busy periods for the unit. These decisions are at the discretion of the unit. 

c.  The agreement must be clear that the University may modify or discontinue an alternative work arrangement. At least two calendar weeks' notice of modification or termination will be given to the employee, unless such notice is impractical.  Likewise, should an employee wish to discontinue their alternative work arrangement, they must provide at least two calendar weeks’ notice to ensure identification of office space and other resources as appropriate.

d. In the case of a remote work arrangement:

1. The agreement should also include clear delineation of responsibility for telephone costs, supplies, computer set-up and maintenance, security of any University-owned equipment that would be used away from University premises (including responsibility for loss), and any additional applicable items. Employees working remotely are expected to familiarize themselves and comply with applicable IT policies including those related to protection of confidential data (IT Policies).
2. Employees must inform their unit HR Partner of their remote work location and must immediately notify their unit HR Partner of any anticipated changes to their remote work location. Changes to the employee’s remote work location (outside of the Chicagoland area) must be approved in advance by the University.
3. Remote work based outside of the United States generally is not permitted and must be approved by Employee & Labor Relations (elrelations@uchicago.edu) in advance.
4. Employees must maintain an accurate address of their remote work location in Workday. Any tax consequences for an employee created by the employee’s remote work location are the responsibility of the employee. The University cannot provide individual tax advice to employees. Employees should consult with their own tax advisors regarding the tax implications of working remotely outside of the state of Illinois.
5. Individuals supported by externally-sponsored funding sources (including Federal and non-Federal grants and contracts) must take particular care to clarify work contributions and current work location(s).
6. Work-related injuries, accidents, and illnesses must be reported promptly to the employee’s supervisor. Workers’ compensation applies to injury or illness that arises out of and in the course of employment, whether the injury occurs at the regular work location or the approved alternative work location, and claims are analyzed on a case-by-case basis to determine if workers’ compensation benefits apply. The employee agrees to hold the University harmless for injury to others at the remote work site.
7. The University assumes no liability for accidents and injuries at the employee’s home or other remote work location outside of work hours. Employees should review their insurance policies to ensure they have proper coverage.
8. Remote employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act will be required to accurately record all hours worked. Hours worked in excess of those scheduled per day and per workweek require the advance approval of the employee’s supervisor. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the immediate termination of the remote work agreement.
9. Remote employees working in other states will be required to comply with the labor laws, regulations and other applicable requirements of the state in which they work.

4. A copy of the approved alternative work arrangement agreement should be sent to the unit HR Partner and fully remote work arrangements should also be uploaded in Workday.

5. The supervisor and employee should meet periodically (every 3 - 6 months) to adjust as needed and to determine whether the alternative work arrangement should be continued.

6.  An employee working in an alternative work arrangement remains an at-will employee, meaning the employee or the University can terminate employment at any time and for any reason, with or without advance notice. If, for any reason, the alternative work arrangement is terminated, and the employee decides not to return to the former traditional work schedule/arrangement and leaves the position, the employee will be considered to have resigned. 

Employees represented by a union will be governed by terms of the appropriate bargaining unit agreement.