Oregon Board of Optometry

P. O. Box 13967 Salem OR 97309 Phone: (503)399-0662 Fax: (503)399-0705 email: board@oregonobo.org

TELECOMMUTING POLICY & PROCEDURE

A. Telecommuting Policy: The Board endorses telecommuting as a work option for selected employees. One of our goals continues to be an employer who is willing to take positive steps to reduce the demand on the region's transportation network whenever feasible. In striving to be a responsible state agency, we recognize telecommuting is but one of a number of initiatives we should consider if we wish to be part of the solution to traffic congestion and air pollution. Telecommuting is a reasonable business practice that may make the Board more competitive. Telecommuting increases the productivity and morale of employees who participate in the program, more effectively uses work space, and promotes a spirit of innovation.

B. Program Description: Because the Board employs a very small number of people, telecommuting is a mutually agreed upon work alternative between the telecommuter and the Executive Director. The telecommuter and Executive Director may end the telecommuting arrangement at any time.

Telecommuters work at home one or more days a week on a regular basis. Writing, reading, telephoning, investigating complaints, data analysis, computer programming, word processing and data entry are all tasks amenable to telecommuting.

C. Goal: The Board is committed to considering both "high-tech" (with computers and modems) and "low-tech" telecommuting when there are sufficient employees to assure at least full-time office coverage between 7:30 am and 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.

D. Eligibility: All Board employees are eligible to apply to become telecommuters; however, their work must be of a nature wherein face-to-face interaction is minimal or may be scheduled to permit telecommuting. The need for specialized material or equipment must either be minimal or flexible.

E. Personal Characteristics of the Employee Will Include:

• A demonstrated conscientiousness about work time and productivity evidenced by satisfactory or better performance reviews.
• Self-motivated.
• Ability to work well alone for long stretches of time.
• Limited need for feedback but able to ask for it if necessary.

F. Requirement Necessary to Qualify for the Telecommuting Program:

• Regular employees who are past their probation period.
• Employee interest as evidenced in completing an application to be a telecommuter.
• Employee's willingness to sign and abide by a telecommuter agreement.
• Executive Director's approval.
• Executive Director's willingness to invest the necessary time to help the telecommuting arrangement succeed.
• Attending telecommuting training session and participating in program evaluation activities.
• Planning with co-workers how workflow issues will be addressed while telecommuting, such as callers, mail, and meetings.

G. Child Care: Telecommuting is not a substitute for child care. Telecommuters must make or maintain child care arrangements to permit concentration on work assignments at home.

H. Hours of Work: The telecommuter will have regularly scheduled work hours agreed upon with the Executive Director, including specific core hours of phone accessibility.

I. Work Space: The employee must establish and maintain a clean, safe, dedicated work space.

J. Employee/Executive Director Communication: Telecommuters keep the Executive Director informed of progress on assignments worked on at home, including any problems which they may experience while telecommuting. Methods of planning and monitoring the work of the telecommuter include:

• E-mail outlining telecommuting day(s) work plan the day before telecommuting followed by a list of accomplishments the day after the telecommute day.
• Discussing plans for work for the telecommuting day(s) with Executive Director, then debriefing the following day.
• Scheduled telephone meetings on the telecommuting day.
• Some other arrangement specifically for the telecommuting day designed at the beginning of the program.

K. Equipment: Hardware: The Board will attempt to provide PC equipment on an as-needed basis within the limits of available funds. This equipment may consist of a PC, modem and supplies. The employee may, with the Executive Director's approval, elect to use PC equipment of their own. If this option is chosen, the Board requires the employee to bring the PC into the the Board for evaluation, configuration, and software loading. A minimum configuration standard will be established by the Board as a condition of support of employee PC equipment. No office furniture will be provided. Software: While working at home performing the Board functions, employees must conform to software standards as established by the Board. Under most circumstances employees will be allowed to run a copy of standard office software on the PC they have at home based on the Software Licensing Agreement.

L. Equipment Liability: The Board will be responsible for the repair and maintenance of equipment provided by the Board. Surge protectors must be used with any Board computer made available to the telecommuter. The employee will be responsible for:

• Any intentional damage to the equipment,
• Damage resulting from gross negligence by the employee or any member of the employee's family,
• Damage resulting from a power surge if no surge protector is used.
• Damage or theft of the Board equipment that occurs outside the employee's control will be covered by the Board insurance policy.
• The Board is not responsible for damage or loss to employee-owned equipment. Telecommuters should check their homeowner's/renter's insurance policy for incidental office coverage.

M. Injuries: The employee will be covered by worker's compensation for all job related injuries that occur in the designated work space at the telecommuter's home during the telecommuter's defined work period. Since the workplace and home will be one and the same, worker's compensation will NOT apply to non-job related injuries that might occur in the home.

N. Telephone Expenses: Except for local calls, the Board will reimburse the employee on a case by case basis for job related telephone expenses incurred by the employee at home. The employee must present an itemized copy of the telephone bill to the Board for reimbursement.