Gettysburg College Remote and Hybrid Work Policy

Gettysburg College Remote and Hybrid Work Policy

Purpose of Policy

This policy establishes when Gettysburg College employees may work remotely or on a hybrid basis, rather than on campus, and the process for determining whether such an arrangement is appropriate for a given position and employee.

Scope of Policy

This policy applies to Gettysburg College employees. Student employees are not permitted to work remotely.

Generally, this policy does not apply to positions that require an on-campus presence to support the undergraduate student experience or to perform essential campus services. Remote or hybrid work will not be appropriate for every position at the College, and a remote or hybrid arrangement must not impose additional work on others as a result of an individual working remotely. Expectations for timely completion of work and other performance criteria are the same for on-campus and off-campus employees. Where appropriate, accommodations will be considered according to legal standards for documented medical and/or disability needs.

Definitions

Alternate Work Site: The employee’s designated off-site work location, which must be secure, dedicated to business use, and free from noise interference.

Hybrid Work Arrangement during College Breaks: A hybrid or remote work option, available during College breaks or the summer months, for employees in positions that otherwise require in-person presence to remain accessible to students during the academic year.

Occasional Remote Work: Infrequent, not regularly scheduled remote work approved on a case-by-case basis, such as for an unplanned personal obligation, inclement weather, or travel for College business. Occasional remote work does not require a Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement.

Regular Hybrid Working Arrangement: A hybrid arrangement, generally year-round, in which an employee has access to a campus workspace and routinely comes to campus, with hybrid working days of no more than three (3) days per week; a longer on-campus absence is considered Remote Work.

Remote Work: An arrangement in which an employee works from home an average of four (4) or five (5) days per week, is not required to follow an established on-campus schedule, and does not maintain a campus office or workspace.

Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement: The formal, signed arrangement between an employee and the College that documents the terms of an approved remote or hybrid work arrangement.

Policy Description

Gettysburg College recognizes that many positions require an on-campus presence to support the undergraduate student experience and the College’s mission. 

At the same time, the College recognizes that remote or hybrid work arrangements can be a viable option for certain positions. In situations where an employee’s role and job responsibilities support such flexibility, the College will consider these arrangements on a case-by-case basis. All remote or hybrid work arrangements must follow the appropriate request or approval process outlined in this policy and require a Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement.

This policy will outline the following:

A. Types of Work Arrangements
B. Eligibility
C. Request and Approval
D. Employee Responsibilities
E. Safeguarding of Confidential Information
F. Alternate Work Site Interruptions/Dependent Care
G. Important Considerations and Information

A. Types of Work Arrangements

The College recognizes four general types of remote or hybrid work arrangements. An employee or a supervisor, department, or program chair can suggest remote or hybrid work as a possible option.

Regardless of the type of remote or hybrid working arrangement, all employees are expected to be available during normal working hours for their respective departments. Working hours and location must be agreed upon with the employee’s supervisor, communicated to co-workers and key constituents, and maintained consistently.

Each type of remote or hybrid work arrangement begins with a trial period of at least three (3) months. The College reserves the right to adjust or discontinue a Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement at any time.

Occasional Remote Work

Occasional remote work requests are infrequent and not regularly scheduled. For example, an unplanned personal obligation, inclement weather, or traveling for College business could be reasons for making this ad hoc request.

Regular Hybrid Working Arrangement(s) (Year-Round)

Regular hybrid working arrangements are for a defined length of time. In a regular hybrid arrangement, the employee will have access to a campus workspace, which may be shared with others and/or may be in an open office environment. Employees working a hybrid schedule will routinely come to campus to conduct work-related activities; hybrid working days should be no more than three (3) days per week off-campus (a longer duration will be considered remote work).

Regular Hybrid Working Arrangements must be in one of these states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, or Virginia. Employees can also be in the District of Columbia.

Hybrid Work Arrangement during College Breaks

Many of our positions require in-person work during times when students are on campus. Employees in these positions must be accessible to our students during the academic year. However, there may be an opportunity to allow for a hybrid or remote work option during College breaks or during the summer months.

Remote Work
Remote work consists of working from home an average of 4 or 5 days per week. For the purpose of this policy, remote employees will not be required to follow an established on-campus schedule, but will be required to be available during normal business hours. Remote workers will not maintain a campus office or workspace.

Regular Remote Work must be in one of these states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, or Virginia. Employees can also be in the District of Columbia. In addition to the employee’s supervisor and the Vice President/Division Head, the Executive Director of Human Resources must approve work in any other state before a Remote Work Arrangement is established.

B. Eligibility

When evaluating a remote or hybrid work request, the College will consider the specific position requirements, the impact on the office or department team, the employee’s performance, and whether the employee can effectively perform the duties of the position while away from campus.

Position Considerations
A position’s suitability for remote or hybrid work will be based on operational needs and the responsibilities and duties of the role. An eligible position is one in which most of the duties can be completed away from campus or provide a significant advantage in being completed away from campus. There should be minimal bearing on others in the office or department or students from not having the employee on campus. Positions that perform essential campus services will generally not be eligible for remote or hybrid work.

Employee Considerations
An employee’s readiness for remote or hybrid work will be considered before it is approved. Some employees may be better prepared than others to manage the requirements of the remote or hybrid work arrangements. When evaluating a request, the College will consider the employee’s performance in the workplace. Strong performance in the following areas could indicate an employee’s readiness for remote work: ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines, effective time management, ability to accomplish duties with minimal supervision, effective communication with internal and external parties, strong organization, self-motivation, and a solid understanding of their role and expectations.

Disability Accommodations
Requests to work remotely as a reasonable accommodation are handled through the accommodation request process. Employees should discuss these requests with the Office of Human Resources.

C. Request & Approval

Occasional Remote Work

Occasional remote work will be approved by the employee’s supervisor. These periodic requests will be approved at the time of each individual occurrence. Employees should not assume being permitted to work remotely on one day or for a specific reason makes each similar occurrence approved. Occasional Remote Work does not require a signed Remote Work Arrangement.

Regular Hybrid Working Arrangement(s) (Year-Round) and Hybrid Work Arrangement during College Breaks

Hybrid Working Arrangements must be approved by the employee’s direct supervisor and their respective Vice President/Division Head. Both the employee and the Division Head must sign a formal Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement in advance before beginning to work remotely on a regular basis.

Remote Work

Remote Work must be approved by the employee’s direct supervisor and their respective Vice President/Division Head. Both the employee and the Division Head must sign a formal Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement in advance before working from an Alternate Work Site.

Important Note: Since some Remote or Hybrid Work arrangements are created for individuals who reside outside of the state of Pennsylvania, direct supervisors and employees should keep in mind that employing out-of-state residents brings significant costs and administrative responsibility. Remote work must be limited to Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, or the District of Columbia. If there is a need to hire outside of these areas, requests will require a strong argument anchored by a long-term plan detailing how this arrangement addresses the College’s mission. Even with a compelling presentation, an out-of-state work arrangement may not be approved. It is advisable to speak with the Executive Director of Human Resources prior to seriously engaging in a conversation with an employee who wishes to work outside of these areas. No approval may be granted until receiving confirmation from the Human Resources Office.

D. Employee Responsibilities

Policies and Procedures
Hybrid or remote work does not change the terms or conditions of employment or required compliance with College policies, procedures, and/or work rules. Employees must maintain the ability to communicate with internal and external parties and actively attend virtual meetings (including audio calls, video calls, and web-based collaboration platforms) . The default setting for video meetings will be with the camera on, unless told otherwise, and employees must perform other duties required of the position.

Alternate Work Site Expectations
Regular hybrid or remote work employees must establish and maintain an appropriate environment within their Alternate Work Site. This space should be dedicated for business use and be the location in which the vast majority of work is completed. The designated workspace should be secure and free of noise interference by other household members or pets. Employees must take all precautions necessary to secure sensitive and confidential information, including student, volunteer, alumni, and donor records and information, and prevent unauthorized access to College equipment and proprietary information. Employees are not permitted to relocate the Alternate Work Site to any other location without first obtaining written permission from the College.

Employees should ensure and maintain an ergonomically appropriate and safe workspace.

The College will not be responsible for any costs associated with the set-up, repair, or modification of Alternate Work Sites. Additionally, the employee must assume the cost of internet access, phone service, office supplies, and other needs. Alternate Work Sites should include a wired internet connection, or employees should have sufficient Wi-Fi to support both the equipment and provide adequate network connectivity.

Regular and hybrid remote employees must either arrange to forward their office phone to their cell phone or dedicated landline, set up the available technology to answer their phone via their computer (Webex), or respond to voicemails in a timely manner.

Technology Equipment and Support
Remote or hybrid work arrangements must not create additional costs to the College. The College will not purchase or reimburse employees for the cost of technology and associated equipment, phone equipment, and/or other items, especially printers or monitors. College-provided computers are for the employee’s use only and are not to be used by any other individuals within the household.

Employees working remotely and using College-owned equipment are expected to log in to VPN every week. This allows IT to update virus protection and security settings and to keep applications working.

For IT support, call x7000 or submit a helpdesk ticket. If the issue cannot be resolved by phone, the employee must bring the device to the West Building for repairs.

Personal Device Set-Up

IT only supports devices that are owned by Gettysburg College. If an employee is using any device not owned by the College (e.g., local printer, home wireless networking, personally-owned phone) for work purposes, they are responsible for working through the support services they purchased with the device for its security and functionality.

E. Safeguarding of Confidential Information

The employee must acknowledge that the performance of job duties at an Alternate Work Site may require the handling of confidential information, and that continued compliance with all applicable College policies is an essential requirement in this arrangement. The employee must agree to protect all College information from improper disclosure to, or access by, other persons, including other members of the employee’s Alternate Work Site. The employee must agree to take appropriate steps to ensure the security of all work-related materials, data, and equipment during times that they are not working. The employee must not disclose any College information to any individual unless such disclosure is required for the performance of the employee’s job duties, or permit any College information to be accessed by any individual who is not authorized to do so for the purpose of participating in the work being performed.

All proprietary information must be stored in a locked room, desk, or file cabinet when left unattended. Proprietary information must be disposed of following College guidelines, or returned to a College facility for proper disposal or storage. All proprietary information must be returned to the College upon termination of employment.

Failure to comply with these requirements will be a basis for terminating the Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, as well as initiating corrective action, up to and including termination of employment.

Job Performance and Expectations

Expectations for timely completion of work to established standards, attendance and full participation at meetings, responsiveness to internal and external parties, and other performance criteria are the same for an on-campus and off-campus employee. Supervisors will apply the same performance standards to employees regardless of work location.

The College may, on occasion, require in-person attendance for meetings, trainings, or other events. These requests will override the Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement. Supervisors will discuss such instances with the employee and provide as much notice as possible.

F. Important Considerations and Information

Alternate Work Site Interruptions/Dependent Care

The Alternate Work Site must be free from interruptions or distractions from other household members and pets. Generally, remote or hybrid work is not permitted to be used as a substitute for any caregiving needs (e.g., care of a child or other family member or individual). The College recognizes that on rare occasions this may be necessary—for example, caring for a child too sick to go to school—however, this would be the exception and not the rule. Employees must agree to maintain arrangements for caregiving as appropriate during working hours spent in the Alternate Work Site.

Time Reporting

Non-exempt employees are required to accurately record all time worked. Non-exempt employees will be required to seek advanced approval for time worked in excess of or outside of normal business hours.

Safety & Injury Reporting

Employees are responsible for ensuring a safe work environment. In the event an injury is sustained while working at home or another location and in conjunction with their regular work duties, the injury should be reported as soon as possible to the Human Resources Office.

The College is not liable for any injuries to family members, visitors, and others in the employee’s Alternate Work Site. Remote employees must carry homeowner’s or tenant/renter’s insurance that covers personal property and third-party injuries arising out of or relating to the use of the home as an Alternate Work Site, and should consult their personal insurance carrier for advice.

Visitors to Alternate Work Site
Employees are not permitted to host colleagues or work visitors/associates at their Alternate Work Site.

Travel to Campus
Employees working a remote or hybrid schedule are not eligible for mileage reimbursement or compensation for travel time.

Return of Employer Property

Upon termination of the employee’s employment, the employee must deliver promptly to the College all equipment, supplies, documents, modems, telephones, facsimiles, office supplies, handbooks, reference materials, computerized information, hardware, and software on loan to the employee. If it is necessary for the College to resort to legal means to recover its property from the employee, the employee must pay all legal costs incurred by the College to do so.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation and benefits are not affected by remote or hybrid work arrangements.

Tax Implications

Employees are responsible for determining any federal, state, or local tax implications resulting from working at an Alternate Work Site and for satisfying their personal tax obligations. In addition, Payroll staff may need to adjust an employee’s local tax rate based on the municipality from which they are working.

Tax and other legal implications may be incurred for business use of the employee’s Alternate Work Site based on IRS, state, and local government restrictions. Responsibility for fulfilling all obligations in this area rests solely on the employee.

Employees should refer questions to their state and local township authorities and personal tax advisor.

Termination of a Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement
All approved remote or hybrid work arrangements are structured initially on a trial basis. Supervisors are responsible for assessing the effectiveness of the remote or hybrid work arrangement through customer and staff/management feedback and performance monitoring throughout the duration of the arrangement to determine if any adjustments are necessary, or if the arrangement should be terminated.

The continued availability of a remote or hybrid work arrangement will be reviewed periodically by supervisors to determine if business needs are being met. If it is determined that the arrangement should be terminated, reasonable efforts should be made to provide 30 days’ notice to accommodate commuting or other problems that may arise from such a change (unless terminating due to performance-related issues).

The College reserves the right to terminate any remote or hybrid work arrangement at any time at its discretion.

Supervisor Responsibilities

• Review the Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement annually.
• Monitor work performance, production, and deadline compliance.
• Establish expectations regarding availability, schedules, communication protocols, meeting attendance, and engagement with peers.
• Monitor the employee’s continued adherence to all College expectations, policies, and procedures.
• Contact Human Resources with questions and concerns.

Policy Management

The Office of Human Resources is the policy owner and is responsible for administering and implementing this policy. Questions regarding this policy, or requests for a remote or hybrid work arrangement, should be directed to the Office of Human Resources.

Related Materials

Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement