manager resource guide: staff working remotely guideline... · managing your team remotely •...
TRANSCRIPT
1
Manager Resource Guide:
Staff Working Remotely
March 18, 2020
2
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Principles 4
Managing a Virtual Team 4
Requesting Time Off 5
Payroll, Records, HRIM, Pension and Benefits Information 6
Responsibility for Protection of IT Resources 8
Talent Acquisition Student Redeployment Service 9
Talent Development Service Delivery 9
UIT and Telecom Resources 10
Parking Guidance 10
Mail Service 10
Pay Considerations 11
Health, Safety and Well-Being Resources 13
Building Access Arrangements 14
Appendix A: Working from Home Protocol March 9, 2020
Appendix B: Memorandum Working from Home March 13, 2020
3
Introduction
As a follow-up to President Lenton’s community message earlier, to ensure the health and safety of our
campus communities, support government recommendations and to prevent the risk and spread of
COVID-19, York has moved to required services only on our campuses. This means that effective by end
of day on Thursday, March 19, 2020, buildings on our campuses will close with limited access as needed
for required services. Only staff who are required to be physically present on York campuses to deliver
services will remain. All other staff will be working in virtually mode. We intend to operate virtually as
much as possible. Please note that while the University has moved to a required services model,
employees may be redeployed to other critical work priorities while working remotely. Managers should
be guided by their Business Continuity Plans regarding the assignment of work.
NOTES:
i. These guidelines have been developed to help managers to navigate working from home
arrangements and they supersede the previous Working from Home communications of
March 9th and March 13th, appended for your reference to this resource guide.
ii. Appendix A should be signed as a best practise. If this isn’t possible as your staff who are not
required to be physically present on campus to deliver services are working remotely
beginning March 20th, e-submission to the Manager can follow.
4
Principles for Working Remotely
• Working from a remote location or alternate work site (e.g. from an employee’s home) is an
arrangement whereby the employee will continue to perform the duties of their position and
will be expected to continue meeting the requirements of their position.
• The arrangement is only in effect during the time strictly established by the University due to
the COVID–19 outbreak. Once the working from home arrangement ceases, the employee
returns to performing the duties of their job at the designated University campus. The work
from home arrangement may be terminated at the sole discretion of the University at any time
without the requirement for the University to provide any advance notice.
• The working from home arrangement does not change the employee’s basic terms and
conditions of employment with the University under the applicable collective agreement,
employment contract, policies and laws.
• The approval of a working from home arrangement in response to COVID-19 is not a guarantee
that the employee will be approved for working remotely e.g. working from home, in the future.
Managing Your Team Remotely
• Managers will engage in discussions with staff to confirm their work plan(s) while staff are
working remotely:
o Set clear expectations, objectives and standards
o Set core hours based on operational requirements
o Communicate on a regular basis – let employees know that you are there for them,
provide regular feedback
o Establish schedules for regular updates with employees both individually and as a work
group
o For safety reasons, employees cannot meet with students, coworkers, clients at their
home.
o Trust your staff
▪ Don't check up all the time e.g. calling early in the morning to make sure that
they are at work
▪ Don't ignore your staff
▪ Don’t expect things to go smoothly all the time
▪ Don’t expect perfection – there will be a need for adjustments
▪ Do provide support
▪ Do encourage them to reach out to you with questions
▪ Do continue your regular work pattern with your staff to the extent possible as
facilitated by alternate means of technology enabled interactions
▪ Do continue to have regular discussions about work priorities and other matters
that relate to the work
Look for the 2020 Managing a Virtual Team Resource Guide prepared by Talent Acquisition and
Development on the YU Link Managers Resources site https://yulink-new.yorku.ca/group/manager-
resources/ for further helpful information. Coming soon, you and your staff can also access a 2020
Employee’s Guide to Working Remotely at https://yulink-new.yorku.ca/group/yulink/employee-
resources.
5
Requesting Vacation, Overtime, Personal Days, etc.
• Normal processes apply for seeking approval for requesting vacation, personal days, overtime
and other absences. For clarity, working from home arrangements, in and of themselves, shall
not trigger overtime. Contact your HR/LR representative if you have questions.
• Managers shall not require an employee to take vacation time or utilize vacation time. Vacation
time may be granted, if requested by the employee. York has sought legal advice in this matter.
As a regular business practise, York hasn’t scheduled mandatory employee vacations. To do so,
in this circumstance, could cause reputational harm. Staff may not feel as though there is really
a vacation for them to take at this time given travel, food and entertainment restrictions.
• Any absence request must be entered and approved, in advance, in the Time Reporting Tool
(TRT) or tracked by email and maintained per department practice for those employee groups
who don’t utilize TRT.
6
Payroll, Records, HRIM, Pension and Benefits Information for processing transactions
York University has announced initiatives from the Emergency Operations Centre to address the COVID-
19 pandemic. Effective immediately, the Records, Payroll and Pension & Benefits Departments are
implementing the following procedures to support and maintain the continuity of Operations during this
pandemic situation.
Employee Transaction Form (ETF)
High priority Employee Transaction Forms (ETFs) will be accepted by email with supporting approvals, as
described below, to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]. These email addresses are
monitored by numerous staff who triage inquiries. As such, emails sent to individual staff York email
inboxes will not be processed.
Below is a list of the high priority transactions. To support electronic workflow routing please adhere to
the following subject line format when submitting ETFs and other pay transactions via email:
1. ETF – Hire/Rehire
2. ETF _ Pay Rate Changes
3. ETF – All Leaves (Paid/Unpaid)
4. ETF – Termination and Retirements
5. Honorarium and Invigilation payments
6. Excess Vacation Payout
All other ETF changes are to be held until the University returns to normal operations. To avoid duplication
of transactions, it is the Department’s responsibility to retain the original for future access.
Acceptable supporting Approvals:
1. The individual under the role of “Approved by” signatory directs the “Completed by” signatory
by email to complete the ETF.
2. The “Completed by” signatory completes the ETF, provides electronic back up documentation, if
applicable / required and emails the attachment to [email protected] as well as [email protected].
The “Approved by” individual must be copied on the email request.
3. In situations where the ETF needs to be approved by the Provost office the “Approved by”
signatory should direct the “Completed by” signatory by email to complete the ETF. The
“Completed by” signatory completes the ETF, provide electronic back up documentation, if
applicable / required and emails the attachment to [email protected] as well as [email protected]
with a copy to the “Approved by” and the Provost office.
Email is the most effective means of communication to support continuous operations therefore please
email us at [email protected] and [email protected].
Important to Note:
1. Payroll schedule deadlines will remain the same as posted on YU link under Forms &
Documents.
7
2. Timesheet roster can be emailed with Approvals to [email protected]. In a case where the
signature cannot be obtained, the Approver must send the file attachment with the comment “I
approve the attached timesheet submission for Pay period ending MM-DD-YYYY”.
3. Direct Deposit Forms should be emailed to [email protected] with the Application for Payroll
Direct Deposit Banking Form. Payroll cannot guarantee the delivery of manual cheques during
the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.
4. Suspension of in-person pickup for Employment letters. Each request will be mailed out to the
current address on file or scanned and emailed with the Employee’s written consent.
5. Access remains available for TRT (time reporting tool) for absence and overtime reporting on
mobile applications with your Passport York account.
During this period, we encourage you to keep updated by visiting YU Link for updated communication.
8
Responsibility for Protection of IT Resources:
The employee is responsible to protect and maintain the confidentiality of any privileged and/or
confidential University information while it is in their home or being transported.
Employees must comply with all University policies, procedures, guidelines, and best practices related to
information technology and information security including, but not limited to:
• installation of operating system and software updates
• use of anti-virus software
• protection of password
• be cautious of using email/internet and email spam/ phishing
• sending restricted data
• not downloading or installing unsolicited files
• avoiding peer to peer file sharing
• turning on the computer’s firewall
Please refer to University Technology Services’ policies, procedures, guidelines, and best practices
available online at: http://staff.computing.yorku.ca/computing-policies.
9
Talent Acquisition Student Redeployment Service
Goal: To support the redeployment of York U students who are exiting a current assignment with the
University (already vetted, assessed and referenced by a York University employee) to another area on
campus where work needs to be performed for operational continuity; entry into candidate pool
“Student Redeployment” which can be accessed by HRBP’s; support with connecting to any available job
opportunities on campus.
Process:
1. York University student employees who no longer have work to perform with York can contact
[email protected] to set up an “intake session” (mini interviews)
2. TAC’s to conduct 10-15 minute intake sessions to capture important data sets on the students’
knowledge, skills, abilities, experience and availability
3. TAC’s log information into a repository for quick reference and ease of access; ensures student
information is up to date in YU Hire
4. Student is placed into YU Hire talent pool “Student Redeployment”, with high level TAC notes
specific to assessment of skills along with resume and cover letter in YU Hire
5. HRBPs can contact TAC team for more detailed information including availability, etc in an effort
to facilitate placement matches
Talent Development Service Delivery
As the COVID-19 pandemic has grown and evolved, York University and the Talent Acquisition and
Development (TAD) team have kept the safety and well-being of all staff at the heart of all decisions.
To respect the requirement of social distancing, TAD is redesigning most learning sessions to be
delivered virtually. People registered for upcoming learning offerings will be contacted by email with
additional details about their scheduled session(s).
If you have any related questions, contact us at [email protected]
Please look for the 2020 Managing a Virtual Team Resource Guide prepared by Talent Acquisition and
Development on the YU Link Managers Resources site https://yulink-new.yorku.ca/group/manager-
resources/ for further helpful information. Coming soon, you and your staff can also access the 2020
Employee’s Guide to Working Remotely at https://yulink-new.yorku.ca/group/yulink/employee-
resources.
10
UIT and Telecom Resources
For all resources that may be useful for remote computing, please refer to the Off-Campus Computing
web site: http://computing.yorku.ca/offcampus/.
For support, please send a ticket through [email protected]
Parking Guidance
• Parking gates will be raised at the end of day on Thursday, March 19. Employees who are required to attend campus to work may park at no charge effective Friday, March 20 until further notice.
• Employees who have already purchased a permit, either prepaid or by payroll deduction, will automatically receive a prorated refund or credit.
• For employees with Continuous Permits through payroll deduction, a prorated credit for March will be provided on your April pay. Payroll deduction charges for April will be adjusted accordingly, if necessary.
• For employees with prepaid sessional permits expiring April 30, a prorated credit for March will be provided. Credits for April will also be adjusted accordingly, if necessary. The method for the provision of the credit is being determined and will be communicated at a later date.
Mail Service
Mail will be available at the Central Mailroom in Central Square. Additional signage is being added for
wayfinding. The Mailing Services web site is being updated with the applicable
information: https://ancillary.info.yorku.ca/business-operations/mailing-services/. Departments should
notify mail services of a designated person who may be picking up mail on behalf of a
department/unit/faculty.
11
Pay Considerations
The University has indicated the following in its communications to the York University community in
relation to the potential impact of COVID-19 on work and pay:
Please note that while the University has moved to a required services model, employees will continue
to be paid for any currently scheduled days/shifts. Employees may be redeployed to other critical work
priorities.
The University will support this statement as follows:
1. At this time, for permanent salaried non-bargaining and continuous hourly bargaining unit
employees, pay will continue. This would be true regardless of the statement above.
Typically, this would apply to employee groups such as CPM, continuing faculty and instructors
(YUFA, OFHA, OPSEU Unit 1) and continuing support staff (YUSA-1, CUPE 1356, CUPE 1356-1,
IUOE).
2. For contractual non-bargaining unit employees (e.g. a CPM employee on a term contract) pay will
continue until the contract term ends.
3. In the case of contract/stipendiary paid employees, consistent with the goal of completing the term
on time, contracts will be paid out to the end of the term (currently most typically April 30).
Typically, this would apply to employee groups such as CUPE 3903 Units 1 and and OPSEU-2.
4. For casual employees or employees who are paid on an hourly basis, the following would apply
based on hours submitted to payroll.
a. In all cases described below, to the extent that the employees we are describing below can
continue to work, whether it be required on campus, at home, or redeployed, they should be
deployed to do so).
b. Where a casual and/or hourly employee’s employment has a specified end date (e.g. March 20)
such that it would be reasonably be understood that no further scheduled days or shifts would
be scheduled for that employee, none of the following would apply.
c. For those casual and/or hourly paid employees who have a contract with a specified end date
and with an expectation of hours as per either the individual contract or collective agreement
(e.g. CUPE 3903 Unit 4 where weekly hours for the period of the individual contract are
guaranteed as being between 12 and 17 in accordance with the collective agreement) those
employees will be paid based on their actual hours worked or their minimum guaranteed
regular, whichever is higher, to the end of their contract.*
*Note that the majority/all CUPE 3903 Unit 4 individual employee contracts end on April 30.
12
d. For all other hourly and/or casual employees who have no guaranteed hours of work* and for
who there is no work available beyond April 4, such employees will be paid to April 4, 2020 as
follows:
- Whether or not there is a loss of scheduled work, the employee will be paid in accordance
with that schedule.
- Where work that would have otherwise been scheduled is not scheduled, the hours to be
paid will be based on the hours that would have been scheduled, based on the employee’s
last full schedule of work.
*Typically, this would apply to employee groups such as CUPE 1356-2, YUSA-2 and the work
study program.
e. Where any of the above (particularly with respect to pay in cases where no actual work is
performed) is contrary to granting agency rules where the employee is paid from a grant, the
above will need to be modified so as to not violate the rules of the grant.
f. The University continues to assess matters of work and pay in relation to the effects of COVID-
19. Where upon a review, the University determines that it has contractual obligations to work
and/or pay an employee beyond April 4, per an individual contract of employment, or a group of
employees per collective agreement, the University will revise its actions as described at 4c
above, in accordance with its contractual obligations.
13
Health, Safety and Well-Being Resources
• Working from a home office may pose some ergonomic challenges such as working from laptops
and having less adjustability in equipment. All employees working from home should be
directed to the Ergonomics resources on YU Link at: https://yulink-
new.yorku.ca/group/yulink/ergonomics. Changing posture at least once per hour is
recommended. The Ergonomic comfort for your workstation on the ergonomics YU Link page
provides some suggested quick tips and stretches.
• All incidents and injuries should continue to be reported to the manager and the incident
reporting process remains unchanged. For more information, visit: https://yulink-
new.yorku.ca/group/manager-resources/health-safety-and-well-being
• Absences from work due to illness are reported to the manager, per the usual process. For
more information, visit: https://yulink-new.yorku.ca/group/yulink/absence-leave-and-
accommodation
• Working from home can contribute to feelings of social isolation. Teams are encouraged to maintain
contact through telephone, emails, zoom/skype meetings.
• Employees continue to have access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program at
https://www.workhealthlife.com. Resources include personal and family support, stress
management, health and well-being information, financial and legal support and, COVID-19 specific
information and materials
• General Health, Safety and Employee Well-Being (HSEWB) inquiries can be directed to
[email protected] or to 416-736-5491 (voicemail); confidential health information or inquiries can be
directed to [email protected]. Please visit HSEWB's YU Link page at: https://yulink-
new.yorku.ca/group/yulink/health-safety-and-employee-well-being for access to policies,
programs and other information
14
Building Access Arrangements
In order to continue to support the academic mission of the University and required services, the
University is adopting a new building access approach guided by the following principles:
1. Supporting an orderly and phased transition to a new mode of operations and service delivery.
2. Supporting Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) best practices which indicate that a significant reduction in community presence on campus contributes to greater issues of safety and isolation due to a reduction in natural community vigilance (i.e. Community Watch and deterrent).
3. Focusing on the safety of staff, students, researchers and course directors who are required to use university spaces to deliver academic programs and required services.
4. Promoting the safety and security of University assets and research intellectual property (i.e. Lab equipment).
5. Enabling academic and research delivery model by providing facility and security support in an environment changed by extenuating circumstances.
6. Protecting and preserving our campuses in the short-term for the eventual recovering of operations.
Even with these measures in place, the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation could result in a building closure at any time. As such all faculty, staff, students, and researchers must take the immediate and necessary steps to secure their work and research areas and make the necessary preparations to work remotely.
Procedure
General
1. Extended access to buildings and spaces will be prioritized for those required functions
that must continue to be conducted on campus. These include:
a. Access to faculty offices, technology and other services if required to complete courses through online learning and online exams.
b. Time sensitive and critical research activities that cannot be moved off campus
c. IT help desk service support
d. Faculty offices
e. Security Services
f. Facilities (Maintenance, Grounds, Central Utilities, Custodial)
g. Stong, Winters and Glendon Cafeterias
h. Student residences and apartments, and
i. Areas designated for student use for Internet access.
15
2. Maintenance, Grounds, Custodial, Energy Management, UIT, and Community Safety staff will retain existing access privileges in order to perform required on-campus functions.
3. Community Safety Centre and IT help desk will have full access so that the community
members can access these front desk services.
Phase I (March 20-27, 2020)
4. All existing access holders will retain access privileges for approximately one week following the closure of buildings, on March 20, 2020, to allow for the transition to a new operating model. Access cards will no longer be active as of midnight, Friday, March 27th, 2020 with limited exceptions.
5. Requests for extended access will be reviewed during this time to ensure that only required faculty, staff, students, and researchers have access to spaces necessary to perform required functions.
6. While current access privileges exist, AVPs and Associate Deans will prepare a list that will be activated during Phase II of individuals who are expected to be on campus. This list will not be used for checking ID, but rather to ensure the safety and well being of the community by providing Security Services with a situational awareness of who is on our campuses.
7. Faculties and Units must also prepare a list of those spaces that needs to remain open during this emergency in order to allow for the delivery of required services (as detailed above).
Phase II (Begins March 27, 2020 Until Further Notice)
8. By March 27, 2020 end of day, Faculties, Units, and VPRI will be asked to provide the list prepared during Phase I of all faculty, staff, students, and researchers who require access to campus buildings in order to support the delivery of courses (online), exams, research, and required functions.
9. The list will be approved and submitted by AVPs or Associate Deans to Security Services at [email protected] who will either ensure that the existing access privileges are retained or that new access privileges are provided.
10. By March 27, 2020 end of day, Faculties and Units must also provide the list prepared during Phase I of those spaces that need to remain open during this emergency in order to allow for the delivery of required services (as detailed above).
11. Where access is only required for specific days (i.e. exam), the Faculty or Unit can identify the individual and the date and time the access is required. Upon presenting their valid ID, Security Services will provide access as requested.
12. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that they have proper keys for entry into their authorized area. Security will not provide keys or access into personal offices or work suites.
13. Where a new access card is required, Security Services will leave the card at the SCC for pickup by the faculty, staff, students, or researchers. Valid ID must be shown in order to receive the access card.
16
14. Over the course of the emergency, access lists can be amended at the request of AVPs and Associate Deans on a weekly basis by sending updates to [email protected] by Friday at noon.
In order to provide a clean and welcoming environment to returning students upon the
completion of the current emergency, custodial services will sanitize rooms and secure them as
they are vacated. This will also ensure that critical resources are available to continue
necessary sanitizations of work areas that are still being used for required services.
17
APPENDIX A
Working from Home Agreement due to a Situational and/or Episodic Occurrence
Employee Information: [name, employee #, position title]
Reports to Information: [name, position title, department]
Except as amended below, all other terms and conditions remain as per the University’s initial offer
letter of xx. This document is not intended to, and does not, supersede arrangements pertaining to
employees who may have working from home arrangements.
Terms and Conditions effective from xx, 2020 to xx, 2020:
1. The working from home arrangement will be subject to operational and other work-
related requirements. The arrangement is only in effect during the time strictly
established by the University due to the COVID–19 outbreak. Once the working from
home arrangement ceases, the employee returns to performing the duties of their job
at the designated University campus. The work from home agreement may be
terminated at the sole discretion of the University at any time without the requirement
for the University to provide any advance notice.
2. The employee will continue to perform the duties of their position and will be expected
to continue meeting the requirements of their position.
3. The employee must:
• check-in daily with their manager to confirm their health status
• must be available for contact during their regular work hours and must maintain
a regular contact schedule with their manager
• must have regular discussions about work priorities and other matters that
relate to the work
• must be available for any meetings by electronic means for which attendance is
required, unless the employee is sick, participating in another work-related
meeting, or has booked approved vacation or personal time
4. The employee will continue to follow current protocol for all absences. This includes:
• vacation requests
• sick leave requests (If the employee is unable to carry out the duties of their position,
when working at home, due to illness or injury of, the employee will follow normal
protocol for reporting the absence); and
• other leaves of absence to which the employee is entitled to.
• Any absence request must be entered and approved, in advance, in the Time Reporting
Tool (TRT) or tracked by email and maintained per department practice for those
employee groups who don’t utilize TRT.
5. The employee agrees to immediately notify the University of any work-related accident,
injury, illness or disease occurring from working at home.
18
6. For safety reasons, employees cannot meet with students, coworkers, clients at their
home.
7. The employee confirms that they have suitable space in their home to do the work
including whether they can do the work free from distractions and whether the
workspace meets health and safety requirements. Cost of setting up the workspace at
home is paid by the employee. Employees should review the Office Ergonomics
resources available on YU link in order to help set up their work areas.
8. The employee must notify the University as soon as they become aware of any loss or
damage to any University property while in the employee’s possession.
9. The University will not be responsible for any operating costs that are associated with
the employee using their home as a worksite, including home maintenance, insurance,
or utilities, including but not limited to phone and internet.
10. The employee will require access to the University systems through high-speed internet
service and the virtual private network (VPN). The employee must comply with all
University policies, procedures, guidelines, and best practices related to information
technology and information security including, but not limited to:
• installation of operating system and software updates
• use of anti-virus software
• protection of password
• be cautious of using email/internet and email spam/ phishing
• sending restricted data
• not downloading or installing unsolicited files
• avoiding peer to peer file sharing
• turning on the computer’s firewall
11. The University is not responsible for any damage to an employee’s property or for any
injury to family members, visitors, or others in the employee’s home.
12. The employee is responsible to protect and maintain the confidentiality of any
privileged and/or confidential University information while it is in their home or being
transported.
13. The employee’s employment will continue to be bound by [if applicable – the terms and
conditions agreed to in xx collective agreement] as well as all applicable University
policies, procedures, and practices.
* * * ** * *
I have read and understand the terms and conditions set out in this work from home agreement.
I indicate my acceptance of the above terms and conditions by signing below.
Employee: ______________________ Date: ________________
AVP or SEO: _________________________ Date: ________________
19
APPENDIX B
Memorandum To: CPM Managers
c: PVP and Deans
From: Mary Catherine Masciangelo, AVP and CHRO
Date: 13 March 2020
Subject: Working from Home
As a member of York’s management team you play an important role in the smooth
operation of the University. In this particularly unusual time, all of us at York appreciate
the leadership role that you will continue to play as we navigate the effects of the
COVID-19 disease.
The purpose of this communication is to provide additional information with respect to
York’s work from home protocol that was referenced in the update to our community
from President Lenton on March 13.
We recognize many staff are in unique situations during this time and as such effective
Monday, March 16, York University Departments will have the flexibility to implement a
work from home protocol, as appropriate, to help ensure normal operations are
maintained.
Considerations:
Managers can now review and approve these requests as long as their decision does
not impact the departments ability to maintain operational requirements. The decision-
making process to approve or decline an employee’s request to work from home,
should take the following into consideration.
• Your departments ability to maintain operations
• Social distancing
• Staff with increased risk for contracting/more severe outcomes due to age, compromised
immune system or other underlying medical conditions
• Childcare
• Staff who reside with others who are ill
• Staff who are in self-isolation but remain asymptomatic
Other important Information
• While York encourages Managers to be flexible to accommodate the needs of our staff, York
University is not able to accommodate dependent children attending work with their parents, or
primary care givers, on campus. A message will follow to the York community about this.
20
• YUTA staff can be utilized if additional supports are needed in the event of reduced capacity due
to illness
• Medical notes are not required for absences less than 10 days, HSEWB is available to respond to
questions, please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.
• Flexibility exists within the Attendance Management Program for managers to exercise
discretion in the circumstances on an individual basis, please contact [email protected] if you have
any questions.
Please complete the attached form when you approve a request for an employee to
work from home or when you assign staff to work from home as part of your
contingency plan.
The following web-site provides helpful information to support working off campus
http://computing.yorku.ca/offcampus/
Should you wish to consult with Human Resources this weekend, March 13th to the 15th,
regarding any urgent requests to work from home that you may receive, please contact
416-736-5491 and press #1 for assistance. Beginning Monday March 16th, please
connect with your human resources representative.
Thank you.