Telecommuting Policy

for

The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget

This policy statement supplements the State Telecommuting policy.

1. Appropriate telecommuting falls into three categories.
   
   
1. Occasional.
   
   Employees may wish to or need to do work during hours which they are normally off work. This may be because of an emergency situation or because he or she just wants to. In any case telecommuting may be used instead of the employee coming into the office. This may be as simple as checking one's Email, or as complicated as preparing for a presentation. Normally a supervisor's permission for this kind of telecommuting is not necessary. (This is in regard to telecommuting only. You may need permission for overtime work.)
   
   
2. Emergency.
   
   Sometimes employees may work at home because of some special circumstance such as illness. In these circumstances it may be possible for an employee to temporarily be able to work at home. Such circumstances require the permission of the employee's supervisor. When granting such permission the supervisor should review with the employee what work is to be done, the resources the office will provide, and the length of this assignment.
   
   
3. Regular Out of Office Assignment.
   
   Employees may be assigned to work out of the office (normally the employees home on some kind of regular basis). This assignment must be made by the employee's supervisor.
   
   
2. State owned hardware to be used in an employees home.
   
   In most situations the policy of GOPB is to provide one computer for each employee. Where the employee's regular assignment is in his/her home that computer may be placed in that location. Where there is a temporary assignment to work in one's home a second machine may be placed in the employee's home when such equipment exists. Persons who are required to do work during hours they are normally off may also have suitable equipment placed in their home as equipment is available. Other special circumstances may require that a second machine be placed in the home of an employee.
   
   
3. Use of surplus equipment.
   
   There is from time to time surplus equipment which is no longer being used in the office. This equipment may be used for telecommuting purposes. Since this equipment becomes available without regard to the needs of telecommuters it is impossible to be completely fair about its distribution. Employees wishing to use such equipment should contact the LAN Team about what is currently available. Where there are more requests than equipment, priorities will be established in consultation with office management.
   
   
4. Computer technical support for computers used for telecommuting.
   
   The LAN Team will provide support for state owned hardware and software for telecommuters on a second priority basis. Technical support for an employees personal computer, which is used for telecommuting will be given third priority and limited to those things which the LAN Team believes are in the interest of GOPB. In all cases the employee will be responsible for bringing the equipment into the office for repair or configuration as necessary.
   
   
5. Software provided by GOPB
   
   Normally GOPB will provide software for employees who have their only computer in the home or where a temporary assignment is made. Software including operating systems and applications software for employees using surplus equipment will be the responsibility of the employee.