Late last week we reached a TA (Tentative Agreement) on changes to the County’s Personnel Rules and process for approving and evaluating telework agreements. The full TA in legislative format is here for your review. The main highlights of this agreement include:
- Improved language for employee satisfaction members with families – your family status should not be a reason for denying a telework request. While you should have plans for dependent care so that those responsibilities don’t interfere with performance expectations, you aren’t required to have a child care provider if you have other plans for dependent care.
- An appeal process for denied or rescind telework agreements. Additionally, labor-management committees can review data concerning denials and rescissions to look for patterns and adherence to the personnel rules.
- Equity lens is applied when reviewing telework schedule requests and a manager’s decision will be in alignment with the County’s Workforce Equity and Strategic Plan
- Employees on hybrid telework schedules or ad hoc teleworkers can’t be forced to telework during inclement weather if they weren’t already scheduled to work remotely.
- Minimum 15 days notice of a rescission or modification of a telework agreement. Additionally, management must provide as much advance notice as possible when they are required to report to work for meetings or conferences or other work related needs but at least 7 days unless emergent circumstances exist.
- Out of state teleworking can be approved if it doesn’t cause administrative burden or financial burden on the County.
- Unfortunately, we did not win an agreement from the County to allow international teleworking because of the administrative issues, potential costs as well as known and unknown legal complications.
For a fuller explanation of how this TA compares to the goals we identified for this bargaining, please review this document on Bargaining Goals and Outcomes. This Tentative Agreement is subject to ratification by the membership. The ratification will take place beginning October 7 and ending on October 15 at 5pm. We will have an informational meeting on Wednesday, October 13 at 5pm. Please register in advance for this meeting. A recording of this meeting will be posted the following day for those not able to participate.
For questions regarding the Telework TA – please submit them in this form and we will try to answer them at our Wednesday meeting.
