HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 701 HR - Working from Home (Remote Work)
PROCEDURE PR.701.HR
TITLE: WORKING FROM HOME (REMOTE WORK)
Date Authorized: 22 March 2022
Last Revised: 4 February 2025
Last Reviewed: 4 February 2025
COMMITMENT TO INDIGENOUS RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND EQUITY
The District recognizes its responsibility to ensure that this procedure promotes and protects
Indigenous rights, human rights, and equity and seeks to address and eliminate racism and structural
and systemic barriers for students, staff, and the community.
1.0 RATIONALE
To establish a process that allows for seamless Work-from-home Arrangements and the terms
and conditions for such arrangements.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
For a full list of terms used in this procedure, please refer to Appendix A.
3.0 RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 The department responsible for employee services manages Work-from-home
arrangements and supports Supervisors throughout the process.
3.2 Supervisors are responsible for ensuring approved Working-from-home Arrangements
are implemented successfully and reviewed in accordance with this procedure.
3.3 Employees are responsible for submitting their request to work remotely following this
procedure and complying with the terms and conditions associated with an approved
Work-from-home Arrangement.
4.0 PROCEDURES
General
4.1 The District is committed to providing a high-level service and support to students, staff,
and other members of the community. Work-from-home Arrangements will maintain
performance standards, accountability, and service to students, staff, and other
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members of the OCDSB community.
4.2 A successful Work-from-home Arrangement is based on mutual trust between District
employees and Supervisors and can provide mutual benefits to both employees and the
employer.
4.3 Employees may request or be required to perform their duties remotely, if practicable,
on a temporary or permanent basis.
4.4 All District policies and procedures continue to apply, as appropriate, to
Work-from-home Arrangements. Employees working from home are responsible for
ensuring they are familiar with how District policies and procedures apply to their
Work-from-home Arrangements and to bring forward any questions or concerns they
have to their Supervisor or appropriate District contact.
Application and Scope
4.5 This procedure applies to unionized and non-unionized staff at OCDSB administrative
sites.
a) Eligible employees are able to apply for up to half-time (50%) Work-from-home
Arrangements subject to the approval of their Supervisor;
b) Supervisors, except general managers and principals/vice-principals, are able to
apply for up to 20% Work-from-home Arrangements subject to the approval of
their Superintendent in consultation with the General Manager/Central Principal;
c) Administrative/executive assistants are able to apply for up to 10%
Work-from-home Arrangements subject to the approval of the Superintendent in
consultation with the Associate Director of Education or Director of Education.
4.6 Notwithstanding 4.6, centrally assigned teachers, educational assistants, professional
student services staff and other itinerant staff whose work is primarily to provide direct
in-school support to students and/or school-based staff may apply for Work-from-home
Arrangements of up to 20%, or one-day a week on average, for purposes of completing
administrative tasks, report writing, etc., where applicable.
4.7 The following positions are not eligible to apply under this procedure for a
Work-from-home Arrangement:
a) senior staff, general managers, centrally assigned principals and vice-principals.
These positions provide leadership, ensure departmental coverage, and provide
direct support to students, schools, and other in-person staff and are expected to
be working in person; and
b) school-based principals, vice-principals, teachers, educational assistants, early
childhood educators, other school-based support staff, and custodial and
maintenance staff. These positions provide direct support to students and/or
other in-person staff and are expected to be working in person.
4.8 Notwithstanding the above, the Director or designate may authorize temporary or
one-time opportunities for flexible arrangements to work from home on occasion, in
accordance with operational needs.
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4.9 Work-from-home Arrangements are not intended to:
a) replace applicable collective agreement or employee handbook provisions, or
related employment agreement provisions for leave requests due to illness or
personal circumstances, such as emergency childcare obligations; or
b) replace circumstances that permit employees, on an ad-hoc or occasional basis,
to work from home (e.g. to work on a special project), at the discretion of the
employee’s Manager/Supervisor, subject to operational requirements.
4.10 Employees seeking a Work-from-home Arrangement as part of an accommodation
based on a disability or medical reason should contact Employee Wellness in
accordance with OCDSB Procedure PR.572.HR: Disability Support Program - Individual
Accommodation Plans.
4.11 Work-from-home Arrangements that are part of an accommodation based on protected
grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code are not covered by this procedure.
However, many of the expectations set out in this procedure will apply to employees
who are working from home on a temporary or permanent basis as part of an approved
accommodation.
4.12 Employees seeking an accommodation based on non-medical related protected
grounds should contact the General Manager in the department responsible for
employee services for assistance.
4.13 Employees who wish to work from home must complete Appendix B: OCDSB
Work-from-home Request (up to 50%) and submit it to their direct Supervisor. The
Supervisor shall review the request and submit it to their Superintendent or Executive
Officer.
4.14 Approved Work-from-home Arrangements will be forwarded to the department
responsible for employee services for record-keeping purposes.
4.15 The following are the criteria that will be considered when reviewing requests for
Work-from-home Requests:
a) operational needs, including staffing levels;
b) the nature of the work being performed as set out in the applicable job
description;
c) performance expectations and history;
d) the ability to fulfill the job responsibilities remotely;
e) whether the resources or equipment required to do the job are easily transferable
or available electronically, without additional cost to the OCDSB;
f) confirming access to secure and reliable internet, without additional cost to the
OCDSB;
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g) the ability to receive work phone calls on a personal cell phone, district provided
soft phone or home phone, or otherwise communicate with clients in the usual
manner; and
h) other relevant considerations that may impact overall effectiveness.
4.16 The department responsible for employee services will confirm the employee's eligibility
based on their assigned work location and will ensure the criteria for approving
Work-from-home Arrangements is applied fairly and consistently across and within
departments.
4.17 The Work-from-home Request may be approved in full or in part, with or without
modifications, at the discretion of the Supervisor, the respective Superintendent, and the
Superintendent responsible for employee services.
4.18 Where approval is granted based on a schedule other than the one requested, the
employee may withdraw the request.
4.19 In exceptional circumstances, eligible staff may apply for a Work-from-home
Arrangement that exceeds 50%. Employees requesting this arrangement must submit
Appendix C: OCDSB Work-from-home Request (Exceeding 50%). These requests must
be signed by the employee, their direct Supervisor and then submitted to the applicable
Superintendent or Executive Officer to indicate their support for the request.
a) These requests will be reviewed by the department responsible for employee
services on a case-by-case basis for final approval.
4.20 Work-from-home Arrangements over 50% of the time will be considered based on the
following factors :
a) must be eligible and have been approved for up to 50% Work-from-home
Arrangement;
b) the position involves a high level of autonomy and independence;
c) high level of performance and low oversight required or needed;
d) very limited need for regular and direct communication, collaboration with, or
support to others in the organization;
e) the ability to Work-from-home Arrangement was a term of the original offer of
employment at the time of hire (in consultation with HR); and
f) the position is rarely or never needed to attend schools or administrative sites in
person to support students, staff, and/or community members.
4.21 Employees approved for a Work-from-home Arrangement must:
a) designate a secure, clean, private, quiet, and safe workspace within their home,
at no additional cost to the OCDSB;
b) perform all work in a safe and responsible manner;
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c) report any hazardous condition or activity that is beyond their control to correct,
or any contravention of applicable health and safety legislation, policies, or
procedures, to their Supervisor as soon as they are practically able to do so; and
d) inform their Supervisor as soon as possible of any issues that may affect their
ability to work from home as per the agreed-upon arrangement.
4.22 Employees may request changes to the approved Work-from-home Arrangement from
their Supervisor.
a) Any approved changes to the original arrangement must be documented and
submitted to the department responsible for employee services.
4.23 To facilitate a successful Work-from-home Arrangement, Supervisors will ensure
employees are aware of and understand job responsibilities and expectations, including
hours of work within the OCDSB’s regular business hours and, in the case of a hybrid
arrangement, scheduled days required to be on-site. All expectations will be clearly set
out in writing.
4.24 All approved Work-from-home Arrangements will be reviewed by the Supervisor and the
employee no later than six (6) months from the date the employee begins working from
home, and at least annually thereafter to confirm the arrangement is still working
effectively.
4.25 Work-from-home Arrangements may be modified or revoked at any time by the
Supervisor for any reason, following consultation with the department responsible for
employee services, and with a minimum of twenty (20) working days’ notice to the
employee. Supervisors are encouraged to discuss possible changes with the employee,
including the reasons for the change, prior to making a decision to modify or revoke the
arrangement. While changes to Work-from-home Arrangements should not be made
arbitrarily, there should not be any expectation that a position previously approved for a
Work-from-home Arrangement will continue in the same manner indefinitely.
4.26 Work-from-home Arrangements are expected to be located within a reasonable
commuting distance of OCDSB administrative sites, unless prior approval has been
granted by the employee’s Supervisor, in consultation with the department responsible
for employee services, to work remotely from a more distant location, on either a
temporary or permanent basis.
Productivity and Performance Accountability
4.27 Employees working from home are expected to:
a) continue to meet performance expectations;
b) remain accountable to their direct Supervisor through regular check-ins and
updates;
c) maintain the same level of service and responsiveness to colleagues, clients and
others (both internal and external), including checking and responding to phone
calls, voicemail and email communications regularly, setting work location and
work hours on their Google calendar each day;
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d) make themselves available and accessible to their Supervisor, colleagues,
clients, and others during regular hours of work via phone, online chat, email,
virtual meeting platforms, or other suitable communication technology;
e) attend virtual and/or in-person meetings, as required by the Supervisor;
f) maintain separation between work responsibilities and home and/or caregiving
responsibilities during regular working hours: and
g) use a district provided computer for all work related duties.
4.28 Supervisors will schedule regular check-ins with employees working from home to
receive status updates and feedback on critical tasks, projects, and performance
expectations.
4.29 Performance appraisals for employees on approved Work-from-home Arrangements will
continue to be conducted following the same process and frequency as employees
working at OCDSB sites. (Reference Procedure PR.640.HR: Performance Appraisal
and Supervision for Administrative and Support Staff, PR.602.HR: Performance
Appraisal and Supervisor of Professional Growth of Teachers).
Records Management, Privacy, and Confidentiality
4.30 Employees working from home must manage records, including employee and student
information, diligently in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Procedure PR.516.GOV: Management of Official
Business Records, and other related Board policies and procedures. Employees must:
a) ensure secure storage of OCDSB records at Work-from-home Arrangement
locations;
b) refrain from printing records containing confidential or personal information to the
extent reasonably possible. Printed materials are not to be left unattended and
must be stored in a secure location until returned to a District site for filing in a
locked cabinet, or destroyed as per District guidelines;
c) minimize the number of paper records and hard copies produced and/or removed
from District property. Removal of records or files containing personal/confidential
information from District property must be authorized in advance by the
Supervisor. Any records moved outside of District property should not be
scanned, photographed, or shared with unauthorized parties and should be
protected against unauthorized access, use, or destruction;
d) ensure District records (paper and electronic) are stored securely;
e) make every reasonable effort to refrain from printing or taking home hard copies
of records that contain personal or confidential information;
f) when working with confidential information, ensure they are using a District
device with encryption enabled when creating or modifying records;
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g) use a secure, password-protected network when browsing the internet or
accessing District information technology resources and services;
h) ensure records are stored on a District device and not on a personal device (eg.
home computer, tablet, external hard drive) or account. Personal cloud storage
applications are not permitted to store District data;
i) follow District processes for the disposal or destruction of records and
information, including using secure, confidential shredding bins available at
OCDSB administrative sites; and
j) be mindful of protecting confidentiality of information and not conducting
business-related telephone or video conferencing in shared spaces.
4.31 Employees on authorized Work-from-home Arrangements are responsible for protecting
the District’s equipment and information resources from loss, theft, damage and/or
unauthorized access, applying the same standards of care in the remote location as
when regularly working at District administrative sites.
4.32 In the event of a possible or known Privacy Breach, the employee must immediately
contact their Supervisor and follow the steps outlined in Procedure PR.669.GOV -
Privacy Breach.
4.33 In the event of a possible or known security breach due to malware, phishing scams,
etc., the employee must immediately contact their Supervisor and Business and
Learning Technologies to report the breach.
Employee Health, Safety, and Well-Being
4.34 Employees working from home are expected to perform their work in a healthy and safe
manner.
4.35 The OCDSB recognizes the importance of work/life balance, socialization, and the
unique challenges presented by working-from-home arrangements. Employees working
from home are encouraged to:
a) take regular breaks in accordance with employment terms and conditions and
collective agreements;
b) maintain regular contact by phone or via virtual meetings with colleagues; and
c) connect in person with friends and family and try new working environments, if
desirable, to reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
4.36 Employees on approved Work-from-home Arrangements who experience difficulty with
the new work environment are encouraged to contact their Supervisor or access
well-being resources provided to employees including the Employee and Family
Assistance Program (EFAP).
4.37 Employees working from home will not hold in-person work-related meetings at their
home. These meetings must be conducted through video conferencing, telephone, or in
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person at an OCDSB administrative site or other Board property.
4.38 Employees are responsible for ensuring that their home workspace complies with health
and safety regulations and proper ergonomic design and will be required to conduct an
ergonomic and health and safety assessment at the outset and at regular intervals.
(Appendix D, Ergonomic Self Assessment, and Appendix E, Health and Safety
Compliance Checklist).
4.39 Employees working remotely will ensure that their workspace is kept free of hazards at
all times and maintained with sufficient lighting, ventilation, and smoke detectors.
4.40 Employees working from home are subject to the District’s Procedure PR.688.HR
Employee Alcohol and Drug Use when working and while engaging in OCDSB
employment-related functions.
4.41 Employees and Supervisors may be required to complete safety training and review
resources related to working from home.
Reporting Absences
4.42 Employees working from home are required to report to work and/or report time worked
in accordance with their terms and conditions of employment or collective agreement.
4.43 Regular processes continue to apply for reporting absences and requesting paid and
unpaid leaves.
4.44 Employees working from home who are sick or unable to report to work, are expected to
notify their Supervisor as early as possible in accordance with standard reporting
processes.
Work-related Injuries and WSIB Reporting
4.45 An employee who sustains a workplace accident or injury in the course of employment
while working from home, or otherwise remotely, must comply with the normal reporting
requirements for any work-related accident as outlined in the reporting procedures as
per Procedure PR.593.HR: Health And Safety – Worker Accident Reporting and
Investigation.
4.46 Employees should immediately seek treatment for the injury, and then report the injury
to their Supervisor without delay.
4.47 The OCDSB will not be held responsible for any non-work-related injuries that occur
while working from home.
4.48 The OCDSB will not be responsible and assumes no liability for any injuries to family
members, visitors, and others in the employee’s Work-from-home Arrangement location.
4.49 The OCDSB will provide employees with the equipment and resources required to
perform their duties, as determined by the relevant Supervisor, in consultation with the
employee. Standard technology to be provided will include computer hardware such as
a laptop or Chromebook, and the necessary computer software. Additional technology
equipment which is required based on the nature of the work, such as a keyboard,
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monitor, mouse, headset, will be provided and funded by the home department/school.
Procedure PR.685.IT: Mobile Devices will continue to apply in the same manner for
employees approved for a Work-from-home Arrangement.
4.50 Employees working from home will be responsible for costs related to furnishings (e.g.
chairs, desks, filing cabinets or printers) as well as internet, electricity, heat, and hydro
costs.
4.51 Employees working from home will be responsible for protecting OCDSB-issued
equipment and information technology resources at all times.
4.52 Employees working from home may be eligible for reimbursement of approved business
expenses incurred while working from home in accordance with Policy P.039.FIN:
Expense Policy and PR.529.FIN: Expense Procedure.
Use of Technology
4.53 Employees working from home must:
a) have reliable, secure, and continuous access to the internet during regular
working hours;
b) in the event of any technological disruptions (e.g. internet not working, no
household power), notify their Supervisor, and will complete alternate work that
does not require these resources. During prolonged disruptions or outages, the
employee may be required to work from an alternate work-from-home location or
OCDSB administrative site;
c) with approval from Business and Learning Technologies use the Virtual Private
Network (VPN) application or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) to access
OCDSB information technology applications that are only accessible within the
District network. Using any other VPN application to access any OCDSB
information technology resources and services is prohibited;
d) ensure that Virtual Private Network (VPN) or Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)
access is available and working prior to commencing any Work-from-home
Arrangements;
e) ensure their home router is password-protected with a strong password (i.e.
minimum 10 characters and at least one number or special character, one upper
and one lower case letter);
f) ensure that their device(s) and all software is maintained and have the most
current operating system and security patches; and
g) ensure multi-factor authentication is enabled as a condition of accessing their
OCDSB email and other OCDSB systems/applications, where it is available.
4.54 Employees working from a third-party site must ensure they are using secure wifi or a
secure hotspot.
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4.55 Employees are responsible for monitoring District communications to ensure their
devices are updated on the District Network as required.
Administrative Office Spaces
4.56 Individual offices, workspaces, and workstations at administrative sites occupied by
employees approved for a Work-from-home Arrangement may be reassigned to other
employees or become shared workspaces while the employees are working from home.
Employees working less than 60% of time in the office will not be eligible to maintain a
private office or designated work space.
4.57 When required to attend work at an administrative office, employees working from home
will be provided with a suitable workspace. Shared workspaces and/or hoteling will be
available for those working less than 60% of time in the office.
5.0 APPENDICES
Appendix A - Procedure Definitions
Appendix B - OCDSB Work From Home Request Form (Up to 50%)
Appendix C - OCDSB Work From Home Request Form (Over 50%)
Appendix D - Ergonomic Self Assessment, Canadian Back Institute
Appendix E - Health and Safety Compliance Checklist
6.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
OCDSB Policy P.039.FIN: Expense Policy
OCDSB Policy P.100.IT: Appropriate Use of Technology
OCDSB Procedure PR.516.GOV: Management of Official Business Records
OCDSB Procedure PR.529.FIN: Expense Procedure
OCDSB Procedure PR.572.HR: Disability Support Program - Individual Accommodation Plans
OCDSB Procedure PR.593.HR: Health And Safety – Worker Accident Reporting and
Investigation
OCDSB Procedure PR.602.HR: Performance Appraisal and Supervisor of Professional Growth
of Teachers
OCDSB Procedure PR.702.IT: Appropriate Use of Technology (Staff)
OCDSB Procedure PR.640.HR: Performance Appraisal & Supervision for Administrative &
Support Staff
OCDSB Procedure PR.685.IT: Mobile Devices
OCDSB Procedure PR.688.HR: Employee Alcohol and Drug Use
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APPENDIX A: PROCEDURE DEFINITIONS
In this procedure,
Administrative site means any of the following District sites:
a) the Administrative Building at 133 Greenbank Road;
b) the Albert Street Education Centre at 440 Albert Street;
c) the Stittsville Depot at 1224 Stittsville Main Street; and
d) the Confederation Education Centre at 1645 Woodroffe Avenue.
Board property means all school buildings, grounds, and facilities under the jurisdiction of the Board.
It is also applicable, for example, on school buses, during field trips, or at school-sponsored events.
District means the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
Hybrid Arrangement refers to an alternative work arrangement in which the employee works both
from home and in the office/on site on scheduled days as part of an approved Work-from-home
Arrangement.
In the course of employment means all circumstances which may occur in the performance of a
person's job.
Privacy breach means an infraction or violation with respect to the collection, use, disclosure,
retention, destruction, or security of personal information that is inconsistent with the Municipal
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Personal Health Information
Protection Act (PHIPA), and the Board’s privacy policy and procedures.
Supervisor means a person who is responsible for the work of another employee, including, but not
limited to, senior staff, principals, vice-principals, general managers, and team or program managers.
Work-from-home Arrangement refers to an alternative work arrangement, either temporary or
permanent, in which work that is normally conducted by the employee at an administrative site is
performed at the employee’s home, or some other approved work location, on a part-time (also
referred to as a hybrid arrangement) or full-time basis.
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