Remote Work at UToledo
It is important for The University of Toledo to have an on-campus employee presence to best serve our students, patients and other stakeholders.
The UToledo President’s Cabinet is responsible for determining the limited departments and/or job classifications that are authorized for remote work/telecommuting as deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the University. The UToledo President’s Cabinet will review remote work assignments on a quarterly basis to determine whether such approvals have resulted in any deficiencies in services provided to the University and/or its students or patients.
Supervisors may require those limited remote employees to occasionally report to campus for meetings, trainings or other functions. Employees should be prepared to adjust their schedules accordingly.
Home Office and Remote-Related Expenses
Employees must arrange for any personal equipment necessary to successfully work remotely. If the employee needs additional at-home office equipment, e.g., a phone line, printer, internet, office furniture, etc., the employee should be prepared to budget for those costs personally and to maintain the costs of any incidental maintenance, etc.
Employees must maintain a workspace that is safe and free from hazards and other dangers to the employee and equipment. University equipment, materials and information used by the employee must be kept securely in a designated work area at home and not made accessible to others.
Additionally, employees are responsible for any tax implications related to maintaining a home office. As an employee of UToledo, your work address is the physical location of your home department at UToledo. Your work address is not your home address.
When a supervisor requires a remote worker to report to campus, employees will be responsible for paying for the travel and parking costs they incur, and they must have the necessary badge and equipment while on campus.
Electronic Records
Employees must protect all data accessed, used, transmitted or stored in the course of teleworking and must exercise extreme care regarding sensitive data that presents a high or medium degree of risk if released or disclosed without authorization. Work-related data, documents or other materials should not be stored on personal electronic equipment. Any documents or items, including electronic records, created or received by University employees which serve to document the organization’s policies, decisions, procedures or operations are subject to the Ohio public records law.
Devices and Technology
The employee is responsible for maintaining safe computing procedures. The equipment or supplies provided by the University are provided for use on University assignments. Other household members, relatives or acquaintances must not use the equipment and software. The University will typically issue a laptop with the necessary software for the employee.
Employees can access their business phones while working remotely. UToledo’s information technology website has more information about using Webex or Cisco Softphone. Training is also available.
UToledo’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides fast, secure, off-campus access to online resources such as remote desktop, remote printing or shared network storage. Please contact your supervisor for additional information about requesting the VPN.
Employees are responsible for ensuring safe computing procedures in compliance with UToledo’s policies.
Remote Work Agreements
Employees who work remotely should have a signed Remote Work Agreement on file in their department. Employees must exercise a high degree of caution regarding legally mandated confidentiality requirements, including but not limited to FERPA and HIPAA protected information.
Remote Work AgreementManager Remote Work Instructions
Caregiving Considerations
Employees are responsible for maintaining a safe work environment free from distractions and other non-work-related duties. Employees must keep the same level of job performance when working from a remote location as when they perform work in the office. Employees are expected to make appropriate childcare and other caregiving arrangements to ensure the safety and well-being of their family when they are focusing on work duties.
Work Hours and Overtime
Work hours are not expected to change when an employee works remotely. The employee must be available during the “core hours” established by the department. Exempt employees are expected to fulfill all job responsibilities, which may require working beyond standard hours to meet deadlines and organizational needs. Working remotely does not alter the total expected workload or the commitment to achieving performance objectives.
For hourly employees, management will establish work schedules, lunch periods and breaks according to university policy 3364-25-13, Work Schedules for Hourly Employees. The university requires clocking in and out using the electronic timekeeping system. In the event overtime is required, employees must discuss and obtain written approval in advance from the manager, just as any overtime hours would normally have to be approved.
Employees are expected to be video-ready at all times during their scheduled workday. Video calls may be initiated at any time, and employees are generally expected to be present on camera. Video backgrounds should be professional, tidy and have the same look as an office environment. UToledo-branded virtual meeting backgrounds are available in the marketing toolkit.
Employees should be reachable during their regular work hours and must notify their supervisor, in advance, if they will not be available. Employees must comply with UToledo call-off policies and procedures in the event of an illness. Any request for leave must be made pursuant to applicable University policy and procedure for requesting and obtaining approval to use leave.
Out-of-State Workers
The Vice President and the Department are responsible for incurring the risk and expense of employing out-of-state employees, including the costs of determining local and state employment, labor and tax laws.