UMD Telework

• Telework is completing the same work normally performed at the workplace, but doing it from home or other location away from the office.
• Remote work is a specific type of telework that is designed for off-site work. Remote workers use their home or other remote work location as their primary work location, and they are rarely in the organization’s workplace.  This type of telework is generally less common. Approval of the appropriate Vice President is required prior to entering into an agreement with an employee to work remotely outside of Maryland.
• Telework is not working at home on occasion or after hours (i.e. to write reports or to catch up on email).

The following criteria must be met:

• The employee must have completed the required probationary period for their current position and worked there for a minimum of 12 months (unless the employee is hired to work fully remotely in unique circumstances) is temporarily suspended.
• In addition, the employee must have received a rating of at least “Meets Expectations” in all categories on their most recent PRD for their current position.
• The supervisor must have confidence that the employee is fully capable of efficiently and effectively working off-site.

• The employee should review their position description to fully understand all of the duties and responsibilities of the job. A position suitable for telework has documented duties and responsibilities that can be performed off-site.
• The employee’s position must be deemed suitable for telework by their supervisor. Factors such as the nature of their work, the scope of responsibility, interaction with co-workers, and the overall operation of the unit will determine whether or not the position is suitable for telework.
• Typically, positions that include a high level of in-person customer contact or job duties that require the employee to be on-site for significant portions of the day are not suitable for telework.

The purpose of the document below is to assist the supervisor in determining if a position and an employee are good candidates for telework. Not all factors will apply to each unit or employee. It is up to the unit management to determine what factors are appropriate for their unit.

The decision to allow an employee to telework must first be determined by an evaluation of the job responsibilities. Employee performance considerations are evaluated after deciding whether the job responsibilities are suitable for telework. It is important to consider the nature of the job responsibilities based on a review of the employee’s job description to include the nature of the job and the specific job duties.

• The employee should talk to their supervisor about their interest in teleworking. The discussion should include the employee’s perspective about the suitability of their position, their eligibility, and their ability to work off-site successfully, including meeting deadlines and timely completion of deliverables. The Office of Staff Relations in University Human Resources (UHR) is available to assist with questions about telework.
• The employee should draft a proposed schedule and time frame (short or long-term), including how they will be accessible, communicate effectively, and what type of work and deliverables will be accomplished while working off-site.
• The employee or supervisor can request telework but the request must be approved or denied by an employee’s supervisor, department head, and in the case of an out of state teleworker, by the appropriate Vice President.  In addition, a Telework Agreement can be suspended or ended at any time by the supervisor or the employee.
• Complete the Telework Agreement

The supervisor has the responsibility to decide whether approving a telework arrangement is best for the department and overall business operations.  A telework request can be denied for reasons including but not limited to:

• The supervisor determines that position is not suitable for telework
• The supervisor does not believe that the employee is fully capable of efficiently and effectively working off-site.
• The employee has not completed the probation period
• The employee’s performance is not in good standing

• The employee and supervisor determine the telework schedule, including days, hours, and duration of the arrangement. Expectations around communication, deliverables, workflow, work quality, work quantity, and overall performance are outlined and attached to the Telework Agreement.
• A start date is determined and both the employee and supervisor sign the Telework Agreement, including all attachments (Telework Guidelines, Work Schedule, Work Plan, and Remote Workplace Self-Certification checklist).

Regular and Contingent II nonexempt and exempt staff can report telework on their PHR timesheets starting the pay period of 8/29/2021.  

Here are the instructions for 

• Exempt Staff Telework Timesheet Reporting
• Nonexempt Staff Telework Timesheet Reporting 

Staff  can report telework on their PHR timesheet in whole-day increments.  

• Example: A salaried exempt employee worked from home on Tuesday and Friday. The employee would check a duty day for all days worked in that week. In the Telework section of their timesheet, they would click on the box to check the telework checkbox for Tuesday and Friday and click Save. 
• Employees who work partial days of telework can leave the Telework checkbox for that day unchecked.
• Example:  A salaried exempt employee comes on campus on a Friday for paycheck pick-up and checks the mail. The employee was on campus for 2 hours and worked the majority of their day