SAIE¹ Flexible Work Plan

Overview
 This document represents the Student Affairs Inclusive Excellence (SAIE) Flexible Work Plan. The Student Affairs Leadership Team (SALT) undertook the goal to develop a plan that would balance the mission of SAIE and provide flexible work opportunities for eligible employees with the objective to increase job satisfaction and promote work-life-balance. This plan provides a framework for various functions across SAIE to inform staff and equip managers with pertinent information. Managers can adapt this plan to meet the service needs of their constituents while providing an equitable approach to the review and approval of staff flexible work requests.

 This plan has been developed to inform staff while supporting managers with information to determine the optimal scheduling for their department. This plan contains the following sections:

 A.  University of Denver Policy Manual [for] Flexible Work for Staff
 B.  SAIE Flexible Work Plan Principles
 C.   SAIE On-Campus Staff Presence

D.   Eligibility for Flexible Work
 E.  Flexible Work Request Parameters 
 F.  Flexible Work Request Process

G.  Supervisor Requirements and Management Tips
 H.  SAIE Additional Flexibility and Periodic Plan Review

The University of Denver thrives by bringing together diverse staff, faculty, and students to engage in learning, scholarship, co-curricular activities, athletics, creative work, and research. As a residential community with in-person learning and research, the University is committed to a vibrant campus experience. To that end, the University recognizes that the utilization of flexible work arrangements offers advantages for both the University and our employees where these arrangements are operationally appropriate. Providing flexible work options may result in increased employee job satisfaction and retention, employee productivity, and improved recruitment results. Flexible work options also contribute to the promotion of carbon emission neutrality by reducing frequency of commuting to campus. Additionally, flexible work supports strategic use of campus space.

Flexible work plans can include Flexible Schedule and/or Flexible Work Location. Flexible schedule arrangements include Flex Time (modification of work hours), Compressed Work Schedules (working expected hours in fewer workdays) or a Modified Work Week. For the latter, while generally the university defines its work week as Monday through Friday, a Modified Work Week is a variation that redefines which day a work week begins and ends.  

Flexible Work Location is when an employee has a defined schedule in which work is conducted some days of the week or month in their official and primary work location on campus and some days in an official remote location.

The SAIE plan that follows has been revised to reflect the updated University of Denver Policy Manual [for] Flexible Work for Staff.

The Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence (SAIE) flexible work approach is grounded in the understanding that our work is a student focused, in-person enterprise that values community and interpersonal engagement that fosters a vibrant college campus. At the same time, SAIE recognizes our team has demonstrated success in a [hybrid] remote work setting over the course of a trying, uncertain year-and-a-half.   It is important to acknowledge remote work can support work-life balance and well-being. 

With this in mind, the division will adopt a hybrid remote work plan, guided by the following principles:

• Requires eligible staff to be on campus the majority of their workweek.
• Maintain seamless delivery of service to meet the needs of our students and stakeholders.
• Promote and enhance our organizational culture that supports achievement of team goals, individual accountability, and divisional success.
• Provide consistent staff presence to meet operational, program and service goals.
   

C.    SAIE On-Campus Staff Presence

The work of SAIE is inextricably intertwined; we support and impact one another’s ability to serve our students and campus partners successfully. Thus, each department’s on-campus presence matters.

SAIE will center on the University’s Flexible Work Policy rather than the Telecommuting Policy because the former is more salient and relevant to our mission.  At DU, telecommuting—working exclusively off campus and most often outside the Denver metro area—is rare and, by design, only an option in specific circumstances.  Therefore, within SAIE, telecommuting is approved only in exceptional, narrowly prescribed situations. 

Consistent with the goal of contributing to a vibrant campus and being present for our University partners, all departments and offices will have at least one staff member available on campus during standard business hours Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm. Directors will consult with their respective SALT representative to determine minimum on-site staffing. 

Our team must remain mindful of how we support each other through the intersectionality of our work. Regardless of an approved [hybrid] remote work agreement, there will be essential activities (below) or emergencies when an employee could be called to campus. This could be a staff member in a first responder role needed for a student emergency or demonstration, or a campus emergency such as a flooded residence hall. The success of our SAIE Plan is dependent upon all SAIE staff to mutually support our community.

Essential Days 

Throughout the academic and fiscal year, many SAIE or University activities necessitate in-person formats. For example, team meetings, team / departmental retreats, essential events, signature or flagship programs, and meetings with campus partners and leaders. These division-wide or departmental priorities may be defined as essential days. SAIE has division-wide priorities, such as move-in, Discoveries (orientation), and the first week of fall quarter. These are only a few examples of when an in-person team approach contributes to our student success and ability to provide services.

Departmental leaders may define department specific essential days as they collectively work to identify key internal operating activities. During essential days:

• Staff are expected to forgo their standard remote workday to attend events.
• Other unforeseen circumstances, such as staff departures or transitions could require temporary suspension of remote work arrangements.        Whenever possible notice will be provided if a remote work situation should change.
   

Replacement or make up remote workdays cannot be guaranteed if an employee is required to physically work on campus for an essential day.  If an employee feels compelled to request the rescheduling of a remote workday, the employee should first confirm there will not be a gap in overall department coverage, then secure approval directly from their supervisor. 

D.   Eligibility for Flexible Work 
 The following eligibility requirements have been set-forth to help managers understand which staff members are eligible to submit a [hybrid] remote work request. Criteria are centered on work performance and job design.
 

Work Performance

Work performance situations that would make an employee ineligible for a remote work request include:

• Employee is on a performance improvement plan (statement of expectations) or has a written warning.
• Employee has scored “developing” or “unsatisfactory” on a core portion of their performance evaluation that would be negatively impacted by working remotely.
• Employee is making inadequate progress toward achieving performance goals.
• Employee subsequently does not comply with the approved Remote Work Agreement parameters. 

Job / Role Design

Decisions about remote work eligibility will be primarily influenced by the design of a job.   Some roles or jobs may not be eligible for regularly scheduled remote work without prior approval from the Vice Chancellor or the SALT representative:

• Representatives of SALT and designated departmental leaders require Vice Chancellor approval.
• Jobs with duties that require regular and recurring in-person interaction with or direct service provision to students and / or community members (e.g., administrative assistant, business coordinator, medical assistant roles) may not be eligible for remote work while classes are fully in session.
• Temporaries or non-benefitted, hourly staff (e.g., 1,000-hour employees).

• In limited cases student employee roles may be evaluated for remote work eligibility by the department supervisor in consultation with their SALT representative.

For jobs with designs that allow [hybrid] remote work, division leaders will as equitably as possible afford remote work opportunities for staff.  For these jobs, baseline eligibility requirements include:

• Permanent staff positions.
• Jobs that permit independent, off-site work.
• Employees who are in good work performance standing.

Embedded Staff

Whenever possible, mutual agreement should be reached for remote work scheduling of embedded staff (e.g., Technology staff) with their home department.
 

• Eligible staff may request a remote [location] work for one (1) day per week.  For limited exceptions (2) days per week will be considered and be contingent on the department’s role, staff size and the academic calendar.
• The remote workday will be consistent from week-to-week. (e.g., every Tuesday).
• Employees must promptly notify their supervisor if they seek to change the location of their off-campus work site.
    

6. Flexible Work Request Process (Process – To be confirmed by HRIC)
    To request a flexible work arrangement SAIE employees must complete the Remote Work Request in my.du.edu.
7. The request routes through workflow to the supervisor for discussion and review.
8. If a supervisor approves the request, it routes to SAIE Business Operations & Division Resources (BODR).
9. The employee will receive a notification from the HRIC system when the request is approved or denied in the workflow with the supervisor to follow-up in detail about the approval, modifications to the request or denial.
   
    

7. Supervisor Requirements and Management Tips 

(Adapted from the University Policy)
 1. An Eligible Employee who wishes to engage in Flexible Work shall submit a “Request for Flexible Work” To request a remote work arrangement by completing the "Remote Work Request" in my.du.edu. 
 
 2. Supervisors shall evaluate employee interest in Flexible Work against the Flexible Work Plan, employee eligibility and the needs of the unit to determine which Eligible Employees may engage in Flexible Work and on which day. A supervisor's final Flexible Work decisions will be made looking at the totality of the circumstances. Requests for Flexible Work that include Remote Work outside of the Denver metropolitan area must be approved the Vice Chancellor and HRIC (in consultation with the Provost’s office and the Office of General Counsel).

3. All staff using Flexible Work are expected to meet all pre-existing performance standards and job duties for their position and adhere to the University’s policies and procedures.

4. Supervisors must receive training on management of employees with a Flexible Work Plan.
Training is available through Pioneer@Work.

5. Supervisors shall advise the requesting employee in writing if a Request for Flexible Work request is:
>Approved as requested.
>Approved with modifications.
>Request is Denied. If the Request for Flexible Work is denied, the reasons for the denial will be included.

6. If a Request for Flexible Work is approved, the University and Eligible Employee will enter into a Flexible Work Agreement, that the supervisor will discuss with the employee.

7. The Flexible Work Agreement review will be part of regular performance management check-ins.

8. Remote Work agreements will include a start and end date. Unit leaders will regularly review and assess the Flexible Work Plan to evaluate if the division/department remains responsive to operational needs and consistent with the principles in this policy and will modify, adjust, or renew the implementation of the Flexible Work Plan or an individual Flexible Work Agreement accordingly.

9. Disagreements between employees and supervisors regarding a Request for Flexible Work will be resolved in consultation with the unit’s HR Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a decision by the supervisor to deny or modify a request is final and not subject to grievance (i.e., under the Employee Grievance Process) or appeal.
 

10. Flexible Work is voluntary and is not an entitlement or condition of employment at the University. Accordingly, units retain the discretion to modify, temporarily suspend, and/or rescind Flexible Work Plans and/or Flexible Work Agreements as needed. 

 Supervisors are encouraged to consult BODR and/or our designated HR Partner prior to suspending, rescinding, or modifying an employee’s Flexible Work Agreement. To the extent practicable, supervisors should provide sufficient advance notice to employees of a change to a Flexible Work Plan or Flexible Work Agreement.

 11. The University units, including SAIE, will not incur any additional expense in permitting Flexible Work such as operating costs, office and computer equipment, home maintenance, internet, cell phone or other incidental expenses associated with Flexible Work. Exceptions require approval of the Vice Chancellor and may be made only under the following circumstances: (a) when a position description requires Remote Work, in which case the University will be responsible for providing computer equipment and covering the cost of other incidental expenses incurred as a direct result of working from home or otherwise required to be reimbursed under applicable law, or (b) at the discretion of the unit with equity and/or key performance optimization considerations for such decisions. The University does not assume liability for loss, damage, or wear of employee-owned equipment.
 
12. Unless a position’s job description requires the employee to work outside the Denver metro area, an employee who elects to reside outside the Denver metro area and is authorized to do so under an approved Flexible Work Plan, is responsible for expenses for any travel required for in-person meetings and events at the University. For example, if an employee living and working in Telluride, Colorado is required to be in Denver, Colorado for in-person quarterly meetings, those travel expenses are the responsibility of the employee. Rare exceptions may be made at the discretion of the college/unit.
 
13. Employees performing work remotely are responsible for following the same best practices for protecting physical and electronic information and resources as is required on campus.
 

• SAIE encourages and allows flexibility independent of formal remote work arrangements for infrequent, periodic, “life gets in the way” situations.  Reasonable judgement should be used by employees when making an off-schedule remote work request if instead sick or vacation time is appropriate.
• SAIE will consider more expansive remote work arrangements consistent with the above-noted principles for inter-term (i.e., break) periods.
• SAIE will consider factors that may subsequently modify this plan including business cycles, changes to the academic calendar, SAIE position vacancy rates, changes to programmatic responsibilities or unforeseen external factors including but not limited to changes in local, state or federal regulations.
• SAIE will perform an annual review of the Plan or when upon a communicated change in University of Denver Policy, local, state or federal regulatory changes.

End Note:
 1. Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence (SAIE) has three divisions including Student Affairs and Inclusive Excellence, the Health and Counseling Center (HCC), and Housing and Residential Education (HRE).  “Division” or “SAIE” have been used interchangeably throughout the document to collectively represent our three operating areas.

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Version: January 2023