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Topics Map > Employee Handbook > 1.14 Workplace & Conduct > 1.14.1 Remote Work & Flexible Scheduling
Remote Work - Request a Flexible Work Arrangement
Overview
Extension operates with UW-Madison policy guidelines: Remote Work - UW-Madison Policy Library which provides that “each school/college/division (S/C/D) determines the specific procedures for evaluating and approving or denying a remote work request…” The option to work remotely is provided at the discretion of S/C/D leadership, divisional HR, and the employee’s supervisor, and may be modified or revoked.
The Division of Extension supports the use of appropriate flexible and remote work options for employees. Remote work requires the completion of a flexible work arrangement. The decision about whether to enter a formal flexible work arrangement involves consensus between an employee and their supervisor, with agreement by their Dean's Leadership Team member (i.e. Assistant Dean, Associate Dean) and the Dean’s office, with review by Extension HR. This is to ensure that the proposed work arrangement is feasible, secure, reliable, effective, and meets the needs of the Division of Extension.
Note: a flexible work arrangement is only necessary if the request will exceed 30 days in length. Supervisor approval is still required.
- Form: LINK PENDING WORKDAY IMPLEMENTATION
- User Guide: Request Flexible Work Arrangement in Workday
General remote work guidelines allow for up to 40% remote work, with supervisor approval. An additional percentage of remote work would be considered for extenuating circumstances as reviewed by the Associate Dean and approved by HR.
- NOTE: For those with 3500 University Avenue as their primary workplace, the general allowance for remote work is up to 60%, with supervisor approval. In recognition of a variety of challenging environmental options, to help mitigate some of the anticipated building limitations and acknowledge the unique roles located within the units housed at this location, the Dean and his Leadership Team have decided to refine existing guidance to improve our collective ability to make the most effective use of this facility.
Any greater percentage of remote work would require additional justification and review aligned with existing guidance. If you travel for your work, this would NOT count towards your “remote work” percentage.
Requesting a Flexible Work Arrangement
1) Review the UW-Madison Remote Work Policy prior to beginning the evaluation and approval process for a flexible work arrangement.
2) Evaluate the Decision-Making Factors
Note: All approvals are for a year maximum and run on a fiscal year, July 1 – June 30. All employees must submit a new request prior to the end of the fiscal year.
The employee should use the enter your comment box on the first Request Flexible Work Arrangement form to write a justification for the request speaking to these factors:
- Job responsibilities – how will this job successfully perform the necessary responsibilities, including supporting the team, partner and programs functionality and relationships, with the proposed Flexible Work Arrangement?
- Effectiveness of the overall unit – Attending Meetings in Person: Employees are required to physically attend meetings and other functions when requested by their supervisor, remote schedule notwithstanding.
- Potential cost savings to the university, S/C/D, and department; consideration will also be given to cost savings for the applicable county or another Extension partner.
- The needs and preferences of the employee;
- Employee performance;
- Equipment needs, workspace design considerations, office space, and scheduling issues;
- Note: The employee is responsible for providing all equipment needed to work remotely, except for a laptop computer. If an employee works the majority of the time at home, they may be able to take monitors and docking stations home (this does not mean purchasing a second set).
- Adverse impact between employees with similar job responsibilities in the work unit (prevent inequities).
1.) 100% Flexible Work Arrangement
Employees can request to be fully remote contingent upon the following factors:
- Suitable space is not available, and/or the decision to approve the flexible work arrangement allows the organization to best achieve its mission.
- A home office location must be agreeable to the supervisor, program needs, and any funding partners (e.g., county, agency, etc.).
- A headquarter location must be assigned and must be an Extension location within the geographic service area of the position. (This may be different that the home office).
- The arrangement represents an overall cost savings or is cost neutral for Extension when all costs are considered (e.g., travel, space rental, technology, etc.). This is something that is the supervisor’s responsibility to assess.
- An individual may be required to report to the closest available office location when consistent with UW-Madison and division policy and when there is a business rationale to do so.
- All 100% flexible work arrangements require the Deans approval.
- Travel reimbursement, per guidance from UW-Madison Business Services, would be from their home address once the flexible work arrangement is approved. The Division of Extension Office of Financial Services will use the flexible work arrangement as the authorization for reimbursement.
- Those with an out of state home address would use the HQ city assigned to them in Wisconsin as the travel base.
2.) Review and Discuss the Employee Checklist for Requesting a Flexible Work Arrangement
3.) Request Flexible Work Arrangement
- The employee initiates the Flexible Work Arrangement Request in Workday [LINK PENDING IMPLEMENTATION].
- User guide: Request Flexible Work Arrangement in Workday
- If 100% Remote: The employee should use the enter your comment box on the first Request Flexible Work Arrangement form addressing the decision-making factors in Remote Work - Criteria & Conditions - Extension Decision Making Factors.
- The request will be routed to the employee's supervisor.
- The supervisor will take one of three actions:
- Recommend approval of the request;
- "Push back" the form for modification or further explanation by the employee to ensure it aligns with Extension Decision Making Factors for Remote Work;
- or deny the request if it is unaligned with Extension Decision Making Factors for Remote Work .
- The supervisor should address in their comment box how remote work will be managed at the team/program level to ensure maintenance or enhancement of unit effectiveness.
- The supervisor will need to identify a headquarter location when approving the request; the location needs to be an Extension location in Wisconsin.
- If the request is for more than 40% remote work (or more than 60% for campus-based employees), the DLT representative will consult with the Dean for review and approval;
- We review flexible work arrangements on a fiscal year cycle (July 1st to June 30). Please ensure that the end of the flexible work arrangement is the end of the current fiscal year or sooner.
- Human Resources is the final reviewer/approver of all requests within the Division.
4.) Denial, Modification, or Revocation of Flexible Work Arrangements
A flexible work arrangement may be denied, modified, or revoked. The supervisor must discuss the reasons for the denial, modification or revocation with the employee and provide a reasonable notice period before the revocation or modification goes into effect. Denials, modifications, and revocations of remote work agreements may be reviewed. (See sections III.6 and X of the UW–Madison Remote Work Policy).
If an Extension employee requests a flexible work arrangement and the request is denied at any level of the approval process, or if a supervisor modifies or revokes an established flexible work arrangement, the employee may request a review of the decision by the Extension Dean’s Office using the following process:
- Requests for review should be sent to hr@extension.wisc.edu.
- Components of review requests:
- The employee should outline the details of the denial, modification, or revocation decision, including the supervisor’s stated reasons for the denial, modification, or revocation
- In cases of revocation or modification of an approved flexible work arrangement, the employee should cite the notice period provided before the revocation or modification goes into effect.
- The employee should submit their request after being notified of the denial, modification, or revocation.
- The Extension Dean’s Office will issue a decision prior to the revocation or modification effective date.
- The timelines outlined here may be extended by mutual agreement.
The decision from the Extension Dean’s Office is final and cannot be appealed.
Remote Work Resources
Get Help
Questions? Contact hr@extension.wisc.edu.