Alternative Work Sites

NU Alternative Worksite Policy & Guidance

Supervisor Guidance

In compliance with university policy, campus college and unit leaders may provide unit-level guidance and criteria for determining positions and employees eligible for remote work. The general campus guidance is that not all positions lend themselves to flexible work arrangements or remote work. Similarly, not all aspects of every position's work need to be completed in-person. Normal business operations must be maintained. Supervisors are responsible for reviewing the policy, understand their unit’s guidance, and discussing options with employees prior to a request being submitted.

Alternative Worksite Arrangement Form Process

Once the employee submits the request in Firefly, the supervisor will receive a notification via email that an Alternative Worksite Arrangement request has been sent to them.

The UNL campus requires the following approvals:

For employees working less than 50% remote, two levels of approval are required, most likely:

  1. Immediate Supervisor as designated in SAP
  2. Dean/Director/Other of College/Unit (final approver)

For those employees working 50% or more remote, additional campus-level approval is required:

  1. Immediate Supervisor as designated in SAP
  2. Dean/Director/Other of College/Unit
  3. Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance (final campus approval)

The supervisor will review the request and process as follows:

  • Approve for Final Review – Only the final approver should select this option.
    Note to unit supervisors: do not choose this option, but rather choose "approve and delegate" to move the request to the next level of review. Review the work schedule and work location along with dates that the employee has submitted and, if you approve, "delegate" the approval to the Dean/Director/Other (such as AVC) and enter any comments.
  • Approve and Delegate – This option is used (as mentioned, above) when an additional approval is needed to review/approve the request.
  • Reject – The supervisor rejects the request, and it will be removed from workflow.

Considerations for Alternative Worksite Arrangements

  • Determine whether the arrangement being considered will cause an hourly paid employee to work more than 40 hours in one workweek, thus incurring eligibility for overtime compensation
  • Discuss how responsibilities in the job description will be accomplished
  • Determine whether any revision to the job description is appropriate
  • Have a clear understanding between supervisor and employee about performance expectations and an agreed upon method for monitoring work output
  • Create a plan for communication between the employee and the supervisor and other relevant persons
  • Discuss whether the alternative work arrangements should provide for a trial period

Readiness Check for Working Remotely

When you shift to a remote work environment, there are communication, equipment and security guidance you should consider.

HardwareEnsure you have sufficient computer hardware to complete your normal and necessary work tasks. Your department may have equipment available for checkout. This can include laptop, headset, or webcam. You must complete an Objects On Loan Inventory Sheet when using university-owned items off-campus.
Internet Access and VPNIf you require a remote desktop connect to connect to your work computer from home, talk with your department I.T. Tech or email the Huskertech Help Center at support@nebraska.edu about VPN.
Online Services & SoftwareYou have access to Microsoft 365 Online (this includes your email, calendar, work files stored in OneDrive and SharePoint, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) by going to https://office.com and log in with your credentials. 
Zoom for Online MeetingsIf you don’t have a webcam, consider purchasing one or commit to audio-only communications and recording. Learn more about Zoom services. Learn what precautions to take to keep your Zoom video conferences secure.
Phone/VoicemailSet your phone to a university approved software service or to the phone you are using when working remotely. You can also check with your supervisor if you could enable Unified Messaging and have your voicemail forwarded to your email. If your phone or voicemail cannot be forwarded, consider changing your outgoing voicemail message to indicate that you are working remotely and return the call as soon as possible and provide your email address.
Contact InformationHave additional contact information other than a work phone for your supervisor, coworkers and teammates, and anyone that you supervise. Microsoft Teams is a great way to stay in contact with those who do not have a work phone through instant messaging or video chat. It's available through Microsoft 365 online or download the app to your desktop.

Think of any other program(s) that you use regularly and request assistance from your I.T. Tech if needed.

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