Action Likely Required: Remote Work Agreement

As announced via Inside UW, the recently issued Remote Work Policy states that a Remote Work Agreement (via MyUW) needs to be fully approved by August 31, 2021 to work (or continue to work) remotely. Your team leads should have notified you of your tentatively approved work schedule earlier this summer. This agreement is the formal approval for remote work.  Timeline:
  • Monday, August 9th: DEM team members can start submitting agreements.
  • Tuesday, August 31st: Agreements must be fully approved
We understand there are still many variables and concerns regarding the global pandemic. Our intention still remains to provide as much flexibility as practical given the current return to campus plan calls for the majority of UW–Madison employees to transition to in-person work starting in August. If you have a medical concern and are interested in exploring the possibility of an accommodation, please contact Ann Bradshaw. Below are some commonly asked questions re: remote work. If you have other questions,  concerns, or curiosities, please do not hesitate to reach out to Jeremy Traska with any questions.  
  • What is Remote Work?
    • Remote work is some or all work performed at an off-campus work site such as home or in an office space near home. This definition does not include business/conference travel or workplace flexibilities (e.g. working from home to let a repair technician into the house; working from home due to inclement weather, etc.)
    • If you are planning to work 20% or more remotely for the upcoming year, you will need to complete a remote work agreement. 20% roughly equates to an average of one day/week or 416 hours/year remote. Even if your remote days vary, this agreement needs to be submitted and approved. We expect 90%+ of DEM team members will need to complete an agreement.
  • What is a Remote Work Agreement?
    • This agreement documents the remote arrangement with your unit, onsite expectations, and liability provisions required by UW–Madison.
  • How do I request a Remote Work Agreement?
    • After August 9th, team members can submit a request using the Remote Work Agreement available under Personal Information > Update My Personal Information in MyUW. Here is information on how to access the agreement.
  • I’m going to work at least partially remote; however, I’m a student hourly, grad assistant or temporary employee. Do I need to complete a Remote Work Agreement?
    • Yes. The Remote Work Policy applies to all UW–Madison employees, except for faculty. Academic staff, university staff, limited appointments, students, grad assistants, temporary employees, zero-dollar appointments, etc. are subject to the policy and requirements.
  • When do I need to complete the agreement?
    • The agreement needs to be fully approved by August 31, 2021. Failure to comply with the requirements and provisions of the policy may result in termination of any remote work arrangement.
  • Will I need to renew this agreement?
    • Yes. The agreement is only valid for up to a year. Many units are considering this upcoming year as a pilot for hybrid work environments and changes may occur in subsequent years.
  • Who approves the agreement?
    • The general review and approval process is: (1) Your ‘reports to’ team lead > (2) Unit Representative (Angie/JP/Mallory/Jeremy) > (3) DEM HR. If you are accessing sensitive or restricted data from a personal device, the Office of Cybersecurity will also review the agreement.
  • What if I have questions?
    • This is a new process for all and we expect there may be questions. If you have questions, please contact your DEM COVID Response leads (Nancy, Mallory, Angie, Cori, Ann, Jeremy, JP).