AR 7402: Remote Work

Purpose and Scope

Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) may allow employees to work remotely on a regular basis, either as a fully remote employee or as part of a hybrid work arrangement where an employee is approved for both remote and in-person work. Employees who work primarily at the primary worksite and only occasionally work remotely, should discuss with their supervisor as needed.

All remote work arrangements must be approved in advance by MHCC. Permission to work remotely is at MHCC's sole discretion and can be withdrawn at any time.

Where provisions of an applicable collective bargaining agreement directly conflict with this regulation, the provisions of that agreement will prevail.

Remote work arrangements and the obligations arising from this administrative regulation shall be governed by the laws of the states and local jurisdictions of Oregon and Washington.

The primary worksite for all employees is one or more of the following: the Gresham Campus, the Maywood Center or any MHCC Child Development and Family Services (CDFS) site, the Bruning Center, the Rockwood Lumen Building, or other MHCC site.

Disability Accommodation Requests

An employee requesting to work remotely as a reasonable accommodation for a disability should follow the procedures outlined on the Human Resources Benefits intranet site. The parameters established by this regulation and relevant state and local jurisdiction laws and regulations will be considered during the interactive process.

Requests to Work Remotely

A request to work remotely must be made in writing to the immediate supervisor.

When a request to work remotely is approved, the employee will be required to sign a written remote work agreement as a condition of being permitted to work remotely. The agreement will include the employee’s work schedule. The remote work agreement must be approved and signed by the immediate supervisor and the next level supervisor and should be consistent with the parameters established by the area Vice President. The fully signed agreement should be submitted to Human Resources.

Changes in the employee’s schedule or duties will require a re-evaluation of the suitability of remote work and if appropriate, a new signed remote work agreement.

Requests to work remotely are granted at MHCC’s discretion, and may be subject to an initial trial basis, and permission may be revoked.

Remote Work Rules

  • Regular and hybrid remote work must be within the states of Oregon or Washington.
  • The College will not allow remote work that results in violation of federal, state or local jurisdiction wage and hours laws.
  • An employee permitted to work remotely must continue to abide by MHCC policies, administrative regulations, collective bargaining agreements and employee handbooks.
  • The employee is prohibited from engaging in or performing unauthorized work during their remote working hours.
  • The employee is responsible for meeting all performance and conduct standards of the position, including expectations for productivity and safe work practices.
  • The employee must have access to an appropriate work set-up and equipment at the alternate worksite including, at a minimum, an agreed-upon way the employee can be reached regularly or as needed, internet and system access and other equipment as appropriate to the employee’s job. The college will not be responsible for any such costs associated with setting up the worksite.
  • If the employee is issued a college phone/phone number, the employee is responsible to ensure they answer or respond to callers in a timely manner – similar to what would be expected if working onsite.
  • The employee is responsible for making childcare or other dependent care arrangements during work hours. The employee should work with their supervisor if any additional flexibility is needed.
  • The employee may be required to attend in-person meetings, events and work-related activities as required for the College. The employee will adjust their remote work schedule as required to accommodate these activities.
  • For the purposes of calculating reimbursable expenses for work-related travel, employees departing from their home rather than their primary worksite will be reimbursed for expenditures calculated from the lesser of home or primary worksite. Travel to and from the employee’s primary worksite and their alternate worksite shall not be a reimbursable expense.
  • Remote work may be denied to an employee who has received discipline for improper use of work time or other performance issues.
  • Remote work may be suspended due to operational needs.
  • Remote work will be monitored for any negative effects on productivity, morale, safety or workload.
  • An employee may be offered remote work at any time. An employee may be directed to work remote at any time. Where an employee is directed to work remotely, the supervisor will initiate the remote work agreement. Remote work arrangements may be terminated at any time.
  • A minimum notice of twenty-one calendar days will be provided to employees for changes to or revocation of remote work agreements unless there are performance issues or other extenuating circumstances as determined at the sole discretion of the College.

Timekeeping

Remote work agreements must comply with wage and hour laws and adhere to all college policies, regulations and procedures. This includes the scheduling of rest and meal breaks as applicable.

A non-exempt employee must accurately record all working time. An exempt or non-exempt employee must account for any non-work time, including vacation, sick and other leaves in accordance with the college’s policies. A non-exempt or exempt employee working at a worksite in Washington is responsible for tracking all time worked in Washington for individual tax purposes.

The employee must receive advance approval from their supervisor for any overtime work or flexing of their remote work schedule. The employee must also report to their supervisor any absences from work during remote work hours in the same manner as if they were scheduled to be at their primary worksite.

Travel time for an employee who chooses to travel to another location during the course of their work day (e.g., employee starts their workday at their primary work location and then decides to work from home in the afternoon or vice versa) should be completed during personal time.

Systems, Security and Confidentiality

The employee agrees to ensure the protection of all college confidential information accessible from the alternate worksite and is responsible for ensuring that data and information subject to security and confidentiality requirements is not improperly disclosed or left vulnerable to disclosure. Confidential college information should remain on college systems and should not be copied to another electronic location or printed. Any exceptions require a documented exception from the employee’s supervisor outlining what is permissible and the business reason. Employees working remotely or hybrid are accountable to abide by AR 3725 Information and Communications Technology Accessibility and Acceptable Use and any other applicable administrative regulations.

The employee must use College-approved software and file store services. Under no circumstances should unapproved software or personal file storage be used for any college business.

The employee agrees to not duplicate college-owned software and to abide by the licensing regulations and restrictions for all software under license to the college.

The college will provide the employee with access to the college’s network from the employee’s college-provided computer at the alternate worksite. The employee must follow any directives or instructions that the college deems necessary from time-to-time to ensure that the access is reasonably secure.  The employee agrees to provide an Internet Service Provider (ISP) connection. The college shall have no responsibility for damage, maintenance, upgrades, or repairs to any equipment or other real and personal property owned by the employee. 

The employee agrees to comply with any and all policies or additional directives related to the use of the college’s network and any other college property.  In no event should the college’s property or confidential information be used or accessed by other household members or any third parties.

Equipment

College-owned equipment (including computer devices, electronics, furniture and other devices) issued to the employee should be tracked by the supervisor.

The employee shall be solely responsible for any alternate worksite-related expenses associated with the alternate worksite such as construction, renovations, heating/air conditioning, lighting, and electricity.

The maintenance and return of college equipment will follow the equipment return guidelines.

The use of personal equipment may be subject to public records law, as well as other state, local jurisdiction and federal laws. The use of personally-owned electronic devices such as home computers, laptops, smart phones and tablets to access the College’s computer applications or to conduct college business may be subject to review and possible disclosure.

Safe and Healthy Work Environment

The employee agrees to establish, maintain, and certify that the alternative worksite is safe, free from hazard, and constitutes an appropriate work environment. The work environment should be quiet, free of distractions and kept in a clean, professional and safe condition, with adequate lighting and ventilation. The college may require access to the worksite to ensure it meets safety standards.

The college may be responsible for any work-related injuries under applicable workers’ compensation laws, but such liability is limited to injuries resulting directly from the employee’s work.  Any such claims will be reported and handled according to the college’s normal procedures for workers’ compensation claims. The employee is responsible for any injuries sustained by visitors or third parties to the alternate worksite. The employee agrees to notify the college immediately in the event of an accident or injury to self, a visitor, or any third parties that occurs at the alternate worksite.

Payroll Taxes

All wages will be taxed at the Oregon wage rate. Any tax implications related to the alternate worksite are the responsibility of the employee. The college does not provide tax advice and encourages employees working remotely to consult with a qualified tax professional to determine any state or local income tax implications that may result from their remote working arrangement.

Adopted:        5/6/08

Revised:          9/22/09, 6/18/24