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SUBJECT:
State Telecommuting Policy |
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EFFECTIVE DATE:
August 25, 2008 |
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DISTRIBUTION:
State HR Directors |
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FROM: George
Vega, Director DATE: August 25, 2008 |
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PURPOSE:
This Bulletin is being issued in order to clarify that State agencies
in the Executive Branch have the flexibility under existing policies
and regulations to provide for telecommuting (also known as Telework)
opportunities for employees in their agencies. This Bulletin establishes
the general framework for any such policies but it does not attempt
to address the unique needs of all individual agencies.
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| BACKGROUND:
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There are no regulations or statutes that specifically
address the subject of telecommuting nor are there current statewide
policies providing guidance on the establishment of such policies.
Telecommuting can be an effective tool for agencies to attract and
retain a diverse and talented work force. There are many advantages
to telecommuting, including reduced transportation costs, improved
productivity among employees, and providing agencies with the ability
to quickly implement social distancing of employees in the case of
a COOP (Continuity of Operations) event such as a Pandemic Influenza
outbreak.
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PROCEDURES: |
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For the purposes of this Bulletin:
a) "Telecommuting" means working one or more days each
work week from a location other than the employee’s regular
worksite; and
b) an employee’s “regular worksite” means the
State agency worksite where the employee would be required to work
if he or she did not telecommute.
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7.2 |
Within the limitations established by K.A.R. 1-9-1, Executive Branch
agencies in the State of Kansas may develop and implement telecommuting
policies and provide the option to telecommute to employees, when
the agency determines such an arrangement to be appropriate and in
the best interests of the State of Kansas. Telecommuting may be part
of an employee’s regular schedule or done on a short-term basis.
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7.3 |
Telecommuting is not appropriate for all employees or positions
and the decision of whether to develop and/or implement a telecommuting
policy is a management decision that may be made at the discretion
of the appointing authority. No employee is entitled to, or guaranteed
the opportunity to, telecommute. Factors that may influence the consideration
of telecommuting include: the nature of a job and the suitability
of performing required tasks away from the “regular worksite”,
the personal characteristics and work habits of an employee and the
management style of the supervisor.
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7.4 |
In situations where telecommuting has been deemed to be appropriate
and an agency has developed and instituted a policy, such policies
must clearly delineate the parameters of the options with respect
to telecommuting. These include, but are not limited to: security
of privileged information, safety, work environment, availability
for contact, property provided by the employer and that which is the
responsibility of the employee, any costs attributed to the employer
as well as to the employee and access to the telecommute worksite
by the agency.
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7.5 |
When the opportunity for telecommuting is offered, such an option
shall not negatively affect the customer service provided to the citizens
of the State of Kansas or other customers of the agency. The business
needs of the agency, the public and the State of Kansas as a whole
shall be considered paramount in the decisions of whether to offer
such an option to employees.
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7.6 |
Any policy or procedure with respect to telecommuting developed
pursuant to this Bulletin shall comply with all applicable Federal
and State rules, regulations and statutes.
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REFERENCES: K.A.R. 1-9-1, http://da.ks.gov/ps/documents/regs/art-9.htm#1-9-1
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CONTACT PERSONS: Jan Cavalieri at
jan.cavalieri@da.ks.gov
or at (785) 296-4743. |
