flexible work policy

The following guidelines provide a general framework for alternative worksite arrangements. These guidelines do not attempt to address the special requirements of all employees or positions.

The Cal Poly Corporation supports flex work in positions where appropriate and beneficial to the Corporation and the employee. The Corporation recognizes the benefits available through a planned and managed flex work program. This option can support DEI and inclusion efforts, expand our talent prospects when hiring, increase productivity given reduced commute time, reduce commuting and parking expenses for employees, relieve congestion on campus, and offer uninterrupted time for concentrated work. 

The opportunity to participate in a flex work program is offered only with the understanding that it is the responsibility of the employee to ensure that a safe and proper work environment is maintained (e.g., an ergonomically appropriate and safe workspace is required; dependent care arrangements do not place dependents at risk of a lack of appropriate care or interfere with the employee’s ability to perform work; personal disruptions such as non-business telephone calls and visitors are kept to a minimum). Failure to maintain a safe and proper work environment will result in the employee needing to work in-office for all hours worked.

Flex work opportunities are based upon the duties of the employee’s position and program requirements as determined by the appropriate director or manager. The Corporation will require that employees are available to be on campus at least three days per week, with all employees on-site Tuesdays and Wednesdays to allow for collaboration. The Corporation reserves the right to end flex work arrangements for individual employees if business needs dictate. At least 30 days’ notice will be given to any employee whose flex work arrangement will be ending or changing.

The Cal Poly Corporation will not be offering full remote work opportunities. Remote work is considered opportunities in which employees are not required to come to the worksite and are allowed to perform their duties fully at an offsite location. Due to this Corporation employees will not be allowed to reside in another state full time (per California regulations more than nine (9) months in one calendar year).

• Cal Poly Corporation Worksite:  Physical Corporation-maintained location.

• Employee Regular Worksite: Primary worksite location at which the employee is expected to perform their work.
• Exempt Employees:  Employees who, based on duties performed and the manner of compensation, are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) minimum wage and overtime provisions. Exempt employees are paid an established monthly salary and are expected to fulfill the duties of their position(s) regardless of hours worked. Exempt employees are not eligible to receive overtime compensation or compensatory time off and are not required to adhere to strict time, record keeping, and attendance rules for pay purposes. Exempt titles are identified in Cal Poly Corporation Position Descriptions.
• Non-exempt Employees:  Employees who, based on duties performed and the manner of compensation, are subject to all FLSA provisions. Non-exempt employees are required to account for time worked on an hourly and fractional hourly basis and are to be compensated for qualified overtime hours pursuant to applicable wage and hour laws. Non-exempt titles are identified in Cal Poly Corporation Position Descriptions.

Full-time CPC employees with a tenure of 3 months+ who hold job positions that are not site specific are eligible for flex work arrangements.  A flex work arrangement may be approved for an exempt or non-exempt employee when it is in the best interest of the Corporation and the employee. The opportunity for flex work is at management’s discretion and must take into consideration numerous factors, including the job/position, nature of the work performed, equipment and technology required, operational needs, impact on the department, employee readiness and employee performance.  Note:  Centers and Institutions will set their own policies on Flex work.  Note: the CPC executive team will work on site with flexibility allowed when special circumstances occur.

1. Directors/managers in units in which flex work is a viable option will meet with employees individually to discuss a flex work arrangement.
2. Employee completes a Self-Assessment about their compatibility for flex work. The employee meets with their director/manager to discuss eligibility and feasibility of a flex work agreement. If a flex work request is denied, the appropriate director/manager will communicate the reason for denial.
3. Supervisors may use their discretion to consider/allow additional short-term flexibility for special circumstances.
4. Employees are responsible for ensuring that there is no disruption to customer service or work deliverables and for communicating consistently and effectively with all adjacent teams and collaborative partners.
5. Teams will establish communication and meeting norms.

Flex work does not change the conditions of employment or applicability of Cal Poly Corporation policies, including employee’s classification, compensation or benefits. However, by opting for a flex work arrangement, the employee agrees to submit to the additional policies and requirements that are included throughout these guidelines. Wherever the work is performed, the employee is required to abide by all Corporation policies and procedures, including overtime, holidays, vacation leave and sick time. Violation of policies and guidelines or any other Corporation policies and procedures may result in the termination of the flex work arrangement and/or disciplinary action. 

The employee and director or manager will jointly discuss and agree on a flex work arrangement that meets personal and business needs. It is at the discretion of the appropriate director or manager and is subject to ongoing review. Flex work arrangements must be reviewed annually and whenever there is a major job change or the employee or director or manager changes positions. Because flex work is selected as a feasible work option based on a combination of job characteristics, employee characteristics, and director or manager characteristics, a change in any one of these elements requires a review of the flex work arrangement. The appropriate director or manager, in consultation with Human Resources, may modify or terminate the flex work arrangement early (before the end of the specified term) for performance concerns, changes in job duties, changing operational or business needs, or any other non-discriminatory reason. Any termination of flex work will typically be made with at least 30 days’ advance notice. Flex work is not an employee right.

The employee shall maintain regularly scheduled and approved work hours as agreed upon in the flex work arrangement and will be fully accessible during those hours.

Non-exempt employees must not work overtime without prior approval from their manager. Non-exempt employees are required to accurately report work hours and strictly adhere to required rest and meal breaks in full compliance with policies and federal, state and local guidelines.

While working off-site, the employee is expected to maintain the same productivity, quality of performance, communication and responsiveness as if working at the regular Corporation worksite. The employee’s performance appraisals remain the same as if working at the regular Corporation worksite.

While working offsite, the employee is expected to maintain a presence using agreed-upon technology (telephone, Zoom, Instant Messaging, Microsoft Teams, etc.) and to be available to their manager, co-workers and others with the same response times as if at the regular Corporation worksite. The employee will maintain contact with co-workers and others and will notify them of any director or manager-approved changes in their flex work schedule.

Meetings will be conducted in person on the Tuesday and Wednesday in office days and virtually, leveraging Teams or Zoom on the alternate days.

While working offsite, the employee is responsible for ensuring a safe and appropriate worksite environment suitable for accomplishing their regular job duties during scheduled hours of work and, if applicable, arranging for dependent care as they would if they were working at the regular Corporation worksite.

The employee is responsible for designating a remote workspace and ensuring that their remote workspace complies with Corporation safety guidelines and is equipped with the necessary equipment to carry out assigned duties. Employees may need to modify or add to existing office equipment to accommodate the unique circumstances of the flex work environment.

The employee is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure work environment, including maintaining the designated remote worksite in an ergonomically sound manner. 

A properly equipped workspace is important to increase safety and comfort, including at an off-site location. Standing, stretching, and taking regular, short breaks are important parts of workplace wellness. Visit the Cal Poly Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) website and review:

• Ergonomic Tips for Working at Home: https://afd.calpoly.edu/ehs/docs/ergonomic_tips.pdf 
• Healthy Workstation Guidelines infographic
• Ergonomic Work Spaces video to learn more about setting up your desk, chair, and other work space features to maximize your workspace wellness.

The Corporation’s liability for job-related accidents generally extends to injuries incurred in the course and scope of the employee’s job duties and during the employee’s scheduled hours of flex work. Flex work is defined as the actions directly related to working from an off-site location and does not include actions that the employee may take during break periods from working. Non-covered actions would include all actions that the employee would not be able to perform in their campus office, or which are directly related to the operation of the home. (Examples of such non-covered actions include cooking lunch, caring for children, domestic tasks, yard work, checking mail, etc.)

The employee is responsible for reporting any work-related injuries to their supervisor at the earliest opportunity, and injuries will be handled in the same manner as reports of injury at the primary worksite. In the event of a workers’ compensation injury or illness, employees must notify their supervisor and manager immediately and must complete all necessary and/or management-requested documents regarding the injury. The employee will agree to hold the Corporation harmless for injury to others at the alternate worksite. The employee may not conduct in-person work-related meetings at the alternate worksite.

The Corporation may provide equipment, software, data, supplies and materials for use during the flex work assignment, based on the position requirements and within the resource limitations of the department. If the employee will have custody of Corporation-owned equipment at a location other than a Corporation worksite, all employees using CPC owed computer equipment for flex work purposes must check these items out with their manager and fill out all appropriate tracking forms. 

Corporation-owned equipment, records and materials may be used for purposes of Corporation business only and must be protected against unauthorized or accidental access, use, modification, destruction, loss, theft, or disclosure. Incidental personal use is not permitted to interfere with the use of the equipment for Corporation business or add any more than an immaterial incremental cost to the unit. The Corporation’s right to monitor the use of Corporation-owned property, such as computers and software, is not diminished by the flex work arrangement.

The Corporation will provide for repairs to or replacement of Corporation equipment when damage to that equipment is incurred by an employee during the course and scope of their job duties and the employee’s work hours. When the employee uses personal equipment, software, data, supplies and furniture, the employee is responsible for the maintenance and repair of these items unless other arrangements have been made in advance and in writing with the manager.  All Corporation-owned equipment must be returned to the Corporation by the employee for inspection, repair, replacement or repossession with 14 days’ written notice and immediately upon separation of employment. The employee must agree to return Corporation equipment, records, and materials within 14 days of termination of the flex work arrangement.

The employee is responsible for reviewing Corporation and CSU policies and guidelines for proper record management:

• Record Retention and Disposition Standard
• Information Retention and Disposition Schedules

Additional information can be found in the Technology Toolkit.

Maintenance and repair of Corporation-owned equipment issued to employees will be the responsibility of the department. Equipment must be returned to the Corporation for appropriate maintenance/repair. The employee is responsible for installing, configuring, and updating all software on their equipment and complying with software licensing agreements. The Corporation will not provide in-person technical/computer support at the off-site location, but will provide Help Desk assistance for supported software provided by the Corporation. The Corporation will not provide technical support beyond basic Level 1 Help Desk phone support and during established operating hours. In the event of equipment malfunction, the employee must notify their supervisor immediately. The employee may be asked to work on at a Corporation worksite until the equipment is usable or other equipment available. Repairs and the associated cost of repairs to Corporation equipment that result from employee’s negligence will be the responsibility of the employee.  Replacement and the associated costs of replacement of Corporation-owned equipment that is stolen or destroyed/damaged through negligence will be the responsibility of the employee.

All Corporation employees are expected to adhere to Corporation and University policies and practices. This includes the policy on the responsible use of information technology resources and the confidentiality and security of Corporation and University information handled in the course of employment (see Information Security Policy).

Employees working from home or other alternate locations are not on travel status and not eligible for meal reimbursement. Similarly, meals taken at home or other alternate locations (or delivered) during a Zoom business meeting are not reimbursable under the Corporation Finance and Accounting policies.

The preference is for an employee to pick up and use existing equipment from their office. Any items leaving campus must be documented for inventory purposes. If it is necessary to purchase equipment, the items must be approved, in advance by the employee’s manager. Only pre-approved business-related equipment that can be returned to the Cal Poly worksite at the end of the flex work arrangement will be reimbursed.

Purchases must be made within Corporation Finance and Accounting policies. If any item needs to be installed, charges related to the installation are the responsibility of the employee. Other expenses (utilities, rent, furniture, etc.) will not be reimbursed.

Departments and the appropriate director or manager will evaluate on a case-by-case basis where reimbursement is necessary for flex work with specific needs not already met with existing resources. Reimbursement is only allowable if the Corporation-issued office equipment (e.g., computer, printer, keyboard) cannot be relocated or the employee does not already have personal equipment or services (e.g., internet, telephone) at the remote worksite that would be required in order for the employee to perform their work duties.

Equipment purchased during flex work is limited to a basic workstation setup. This policy is not intended to cover specialized ergonomic equipment such as sit/stand desks or equipment to furnish a home office (desk, file cabinets, etc.). Any specialized ergonomic equipment needed outside of the pre-approved list will be considered a workplace accommodation. Please consult with Human Resources for assistance with requests outside of this policy.

The employee will be responsible for the safety and security of all Corporation-owned equipment, records, and materials at the remote worksite and during travel to/from Corporation worksites. This includes remaining up to date with ITS Information Security Standards, Information Security Responsible Use Policy (“RUP”) and other applicable information technology policies, as well as maintaining data security and confidentiality of records in the same manner as when working at the regular Corporation worksite.

Other security measures include the use of locked file cabinets and desks, regular password maintenance, and any other measures appropriate for the job and the environment. Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) coupled with responsible home network management and general IT security alertness and prevention help to protect the Corporation’s data. Personal computers are prohibited for processing of Level 1 data unless the personal computer is being used to connect to an approved campus remote desktop solution.

The employee shall implement steps for good information security at the remote worksite and must report any security issues to their manager. The employee must report any instances of loss, damage, or unauthorized access to property or information to their manager at the earliest opportunity.

The employee must follow all Information Security policies, including not duplicating Corporation-owned software and adhering to manufacturer’s licensing agreements. Restricted-access materials will not be taken out of the Corporation worksite or accessed through the computer unless approved in advance by the director or manager. The employee must ensure information is not disclosed in violation of FERPA or other state or federal laws, regulations, or Corporation/CSU policies and practices. The employee is responsible for reviewing Corporation University policies and guidelines for protecting information, including:

1. Information Technology Resources Responsible Use Policy (RUP) – applies to anyone who uses Cal Poly’s information technology resources. All users are expected to be familiar with and abide by this policy
2. Overview and Summary – summary guidelines for responsible use of Cal Poly information technology resources
3. FAQs – answers to frequently asked questions about the RUP
   1. Personal, Commercial, Political Uses
   2. Access, Network/Web Use, File Retention
   3. Policy Violations
   4. Privacy Related Questions
4. Implementation and Practices, including matrix of responsibilities and implementation steps. Detailed procedure for responding to a copyright infringement notice
5. Examples of Appropriate and Inappropriate Uses

The employee will be solely responsible for any and all tax and/or insurance consequences/deductions, if any, of this arrangement and for conformance to any local laws/regulations (including but not limited to local zoning laws regulations). The Corporation will not provide any individual guidance to the employee regarding potential tax or insurance implications arising from the flex work arrangement nor any guidance regarding any local laws/regulations that may apply. Should the employee have any tax, insurance, or legal questions relating to routine flex work the employee is encouraged to consult with his/her own legal and/or tax professional.

Manager and Employee flex work Toolkits and helpful online training information:

1. Flexible Work Self Assessment – Determine if you are a good candidate for remote work 
2. Enhance Productivity in a Hybrid Work Environment – Available on Cal Poly Linkedin Learning
3. Be an Effective Hybrid or Virtual Employee – Available on Cal Poly Linkedin Learning
4. Contributing as a Virtual Team Member – Available on the Cal Poly Learning Hub
5. Taking Stock of Your Work/Life Balance – Available on the Cal Poly Learning Hub
6. CSU Employees: Transitioning to Remote Work During COVID-19 – Available on the Cal Poly Learning Hub
7. Facilitate conversations on technology, employee readiness, etc. – Dialogue toolkit
8. Establish team norms and help with productivity, preventing conflicts etc. – Establishing Team Norms

Please contact Human Resources at [email protected] for more information regarding available Employee Assistance and Wellness programs.