A telecommuting agreement is
a formal contract which delineates the rights, duties and responsibilities of
the company and employee involved in a remote work arrangement.
In any instance, for the
company, working away from the office, whether on a short/medium/long -term
basis, requiring the employee to work from a remote location must be met with a
telecommuting agreement. This includes road, air and other travel, as well as
working from a satellite location - workweek business travel, in whole or in
part. The viability of a telecommuting agreement depends on the suitability of
the employee and occupation type. Organizationally, it, is its flexibility when
working with employees and jobs that are compatible, that makes telecommuting a
sensible choice.
The overall shift of how a
professional life is described, bought about by remote work, makes the
telecommuting agreement, perhaps, more than any other type of contractual relationship,
a balancing point between flexibility, and obligations for the company and
employee. Telecommuting is not a universal organizational benefit; however,
certain occurrences exist wherein, either an employee, or a supervisor can
suggest telecommuting as a possible work arrangement. This arrangement should
not be construed as a change in the existing employment terms and conditions.
That is why, forward-looking companies should develop policies that stipulate
the conditions for work conducted outside of the office, allowing a smooth
transition to remote work.
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It’s true that, employee
productivity and morale, can be improved by allowing them to work-from-home.
telecommuting usually requires a trial period, typically the first three months
from the effective date. Through the balancing of operational integrity and
statutory obligations, either party may terminate the contract. Concerns such
as child care, and other changes that might be caused by the termination of a
telecommuting agreement must be mitigated with a 30 day' notice of such a
change. Provisioned definitions for performance indicators, working hours,
equipment use, and other functional aspects apply where a notice is infeasible,
and the matter is referred back to the telecommuting agreement, as a mechanism
for bridging the risks regarding the gaps in understanding and liability. In
the interest of ensuring that the employee understands the work and their
rights, they must work with their manager to assess the feasibility of a
telecommuting arrangement, and they, together with the human resources
department, will reach an agreement prior to signing the contract. This
individual-focused strategy, also ensures that the employer is provided with
the assurance that there will be consistency and security.
In order to protect the
employers’ prerogatives, during the course of the trial period, the employee
and their manager shall conduct regular progress meetings via email and
telephone (including video) calls, coupled with weekly in-person meetings to
discuss any issues as part of the evaluation of telecommuter performance,
throughout the three-month period. Upon the completion of said period, the
manager together with the employee shall evaluate and offer up suggestions for
changes, or continuation. Desired targets can be reached using a precise
outline for work engagement terms in the form of a telecommuting agreement.
Shifting the focus from time-based performance indicators, to output and
goal-based outcomes. The telecommuter’s performance metrics thus, shall be the
same to those of office-based personnel in terms of frequency and content.
Granting the employee, the freedom of deciding which work to complete, the time
that will be allocated for the work, the method by which the work will be executed,
and etc.
Telecommuting must be
customized to solving issues pertaining to the company’s particular business,
whereas industries differ in the stationery and office supplies used. Additional expenses that are incurred due to certain
business transactions must be reimbursed, this includes phone calls, courier
charges and so on. When drawing up the employee’s schedule and the guidelines
for communications between the parties, a more detailed approach is recommended
for customer facing roles. The employee may setup a home office while
telecommuting, remodel it, add or remove furniture or any other such repairs or
alterations, these costs, however, do not form part of the security covered by
the company.
Remotely placed employees
must follow organizational protocol in the protection of company and customer
privacy. Protecting the digital assets of a company requires, amongst other
precautions, and as suited to position and setting, regularly changing
passwords, ensuring that filing cabinets and desks are kept under lock and key.
The importance of dependable digital records adds integrity to telecommuting
setups. The established governance structures for overtime, workers’
compensation, and reimbursement policies, including digitally signed documents,
just as any other legal document, are legally binding. Telecommuting has to
adhere to legally acceptable standards and guidelines, employers must be
careful not to violate industry-based labor laws, considering, what is legal in
the one industry, may contradict policies set out in the next.
Concerning workplace safety;
the keeping of the home-office safe and clear of dangers is normal practice.
Telecommuters are protected by fair labor practice regulations. In order to
keep an accurate record of total hours worked, inclusive of overtime, the
company’s time keeping system should be followed. Top-Tip - Every telecommuter,
to ensure compliance, should adopt the practice of filing a safety checklist
bi-annually. Thus, ensuring a healthy telecommuting arrangement. An Employee
who, while working remotely, sustains an injury while performing their duties,
is covered by the company’s compensation policy.
whether you are involved in
policy creation as an HR manager, offering contractual advice as a legal
practitioner, or a telecommuter, the rapid change of the professional
environment, makes telecommuting agreements strategic tools that go beyond just
being a static document, to an enabler of workplace confidence and guaranteed
accountability. They should be understood as an essential for promoting
efficient and equitable telecommuting arrangements.
To ensure success in the long
run, the employer needs to be in constant communication with the telecommuter,
conduct regular performance assessments, and design agreements around the
specific requirements. Telecommuting changes with the company, as it manages
its daily operations while finding a balance between legislation, occupational
health and safety, and technology.
The employer, concerning
remote work, can create policies that empower the employee for long-term
success. By it clearly describing roles for the maintenance of a good
occupational wellbeing, the telecommuting agreement has become ever more
crucial in the development of employment agreements, particularly in protecting
both the company along with the employee. Explore the member area to write a
telecommuting agreement based on your specific requirements, also see the
various other types of corporate documents that meet regulatory standards. -
click here -
In building a future-ready
roadmap, workplaces must be more adaptable with increased productivity.
creating space for effective collaboration, which can grow in ways that are
beneficial for the company and employee, both in terms of creativity, and
meeting legal compliance standards. Thus, the telecommuting agreement, is a
carefully constructed contract, designed to maintain constant communication
between the employer and the employee, about their expectations and experiences
regarding remote work.
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telecommute
/ˌtɛlɪkəˈmjuːt/
verb
verb: telecommute; 3rd
person present: telecommutes; past tense: telecommuted; past
participle: telecommuted; gerund or present participle: telecommuting; verb: tele-commute; 3rd
person present: tele-commutes; past tense: tele-commuted; past
participle: tele-commuted; gerund or present participle: tele-commuting
“because the company has no offices in its new region of operation, employees have to telecommute.”
