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All Company Policies

09-Remote Work

Approved by: William Voss Effective: April 26, 2024
Review: Annual Revised:
Renewed By: Renewed:

Remote Work

Policy Statement

The Remote Work Policy applies to employees temporarily working at home, on the road, or in a satellite location for all or part of their work week. River City TMS, PLLC considers working remote to be a viable, flexible work option when both the employee and the job are suited to such an arrangement. Remote work may be appropriate for some employees and jobs but not for others. Working remotely is not an entitlement, it is not a companywide benefit, and it in no way changes the terms and conditions of employment with River City TMS, PLLC. 

Procedure

  • Remote Work Arrangements

    Either an employee or a supervisor can suggest working remotely as an arrangement. Remote work can be informal, such as working from home for a short-term project or on the road during business travel, or a formal, set schedule of working away from the office as described below. Formal arrangements, and cases where time permits for informal cases, will require an employee remote work agreement (Appendix O) to be signed prior to approval.

    Any remote work arrangement made will be on a trial basis for the first 30 calendar days and may be discontinued at will and at any time at the request of either the employee or River City TMS, PLLC. Every effort will be made to provide 30 days’ notice of such change to accommodate commuting, childcare, and other issues that may arise from the termination of a remote work arrangement. There may be instances, however, when no notice is possible.

    Remote work is not designed to be a replacement for appropriate childcare. Although an individual employee’s schedule may be modified to accommodate childcare needs, the focus of the arrangement must remain on job performance and meeting business demands. Prospective remote workers are encouraged to discuss expectations of remote work with family members prior to entering a trial period.

  • Eligibility

    Individuals requesting formal remote work arrangements must be employed with River City TMS, PLLC for a minimum of 3 months of continuous, regular employment and must have a satisfactory performance record.

    Before entering into any remote work agreement, the employee and supervisor, with the assistance of the CEO, will evaluate the suitability of such an arrangement, reviewing the following areas:

    • Employee suitability. The employee and manager will assess the needs and work habits of the employee, compared to traits customarily recognized as appropriate for successful remote workers.

    • Job responsibilities. The employee and supervisor will discuss the job responsibilities and determine if the job is appropriate for a remote work arrangement.

    • Equipment needs, workspace design considerations, and scheduling issues. The employee and supervisor will review the physical workspace needs and the appropriate location for the telework. 

    • Tax and other legal implications. The employee must determine any tax or legal implications under IRS, state, and local government laws, and/or restrictions of working out of a home-based office. Responsibility for fulfilling all obligations in this area rests solely with the employee.

    If the employee and manager agree, and the CEO concurs, a draft remote work agreement will be prepared and signed by all parties, and a three-month trial period will commence.

    Evaluation of the employee’s performance during the trial period will include regular interaction by phone and e-mail between the employee and the manager, and , when necessary, In-Person meetings to discuss work progress and problems. At the end of the trial period, the employee and manager will each complete an evaluation of the arrangement and make recommendations for continuance, denial, or modifications. Evaluation of remote worker’s performance beyond the trial period will be consistent with performance levels received by employees working at the office, in both content and frequency, but will focus on work output and completion of objectives rather than on time-based performance.

    An appropriate level of communication between the remote worker and supervisor will be agreed to as part of the approval process and will be more formal during the trial period. After conclusion of the trial period, the manager and remote worker will communicate at a level consistent with employees working at the office, or in a manner and frequency that is appropriate for the job and the individuals involved.

  • Equipment

    On a case-by-case basis, River City TMS, PLLC will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the supervisor, the appropriate equipment needs (including hardware, software, modems, phone and data lines and other office equipment) for each remote work arrangement. The information system department will serve as resources in this matter. Equipment supplied by the organization will be maintained by the organization. Equipment supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate by the organization, will be maintained by the employee. River City TMS, PLLC accepts no responsibility for damage or repairs to employee-owned equipment. River City TMS, PLLC reserves the right to make determinations as to appropriate equipment, subject to change at any time. Equipment supplied by the organization is to be used for business purposes only. The remote worker must sign an inventory of all property owned by River City TMS, PLLC when received and agree to take appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. Upon termination of employment, all company property will be returned to the company, unless other arrangements have been made.

    River City TMS, PLLC will supply the employee with appropriate office supplies (pens, paper, etc.) as deemed necessary. River City TMS, PLLC will also reimburse the employee for business-related expenses, such as phone calls and shipping costs, that are reasonably incurred in carrying out the employee’s job.

    The employee will establish an appropriate work environment within the employee’s home for work purposes. River City TMS, PLLC will not be responsible for costs associated with the setup of the employee’s home office, such as remodeling, furniture, or lighting, nor for repairs or modifications to the home office space. 

  • Security

    Consistent with the organization’s expectations of information security for employees working at the office, remote employees will be expected to ensure the protection of proprietary company and customer information accessible from their home office. Steps include the use of locked file cabinets and desks, private workspaces, regular password maintenance, remote wiping capabilities on devices and any other measures appropriate for the job and the environment.

  • Safety

    Employees are expected to maintain their home workspace in a safe manner, free from safety hazards. Injuries sustained by the employee in a home office location and in conjunction with his or her regular work duties are covered, as normal, by the company’s workers’ compensation policy. Remote employees are responsible for notifying the employer of such injuries as soon as practical. The employee is liable for any injuries sustained by visitors to his or her home worksite.

  • Time Worked

    Remote employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act will be required to accurately record all hours worked using River City TMS, PLLC’s time-keeping system, weekly time cards. Hours worked in excess of those scheduled per day and per work week require the advance approval of the remote worker’s supervisor. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the immediate termination of the remote work agreement.

  • Ad Hoc Arrangements

    Temporary remote work arrangements may be approved for circumstances such as inclement weather, special projects, personal requests, or business travel. These arrangements are approved on an as-needed basis only, with no expectation of ongoing continuance. 

    Other informal, short-term arrangements may be made for employees on family or medical leave to the extent practical for the employee and the organization and with the consent of the employee’s health care provider, if appropriate. 

    All informal remote work arrangements are made on a case-by-case basis, focusing first on the business needs of the organization.