Unit Operations and Telework Guidelines

Thank you to everyone for your commitment to the mission of UW Tacoma and to the students that we serve. As we head toward Winter Quarter, I want to clarify some guidelines regarding telework and expectations regarding in-person operations.

As President Cauce previously stated, the University of Washington will continue with largely in-person activities and operations into Winter Quarter. As an in-person institution, the expectation is that UW Tacoma will continue to serve our students in person when they arrive on our campus.

Here are the expectations for operations within each unit:

• All University offices will be open to in-person visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. In-person work hours may start earlier and extend later based on unit needs. Access to services may be extended beyond these hours for our evening students using remote access.
• Phones will be answered by a person during business hours. Those teleworking can either use Extension Connect or Call Forwarding to answer their desk extension from their remote work location.
• During business hours, at least one person will be available on-site in each unit to help students, prospective students and customers.
• Students will feel supported and that “they belong” whether they are engaging in-person or online.

Each unit will develop operational and staffing plans that work for their unit and meet these minimal expectations.

Most current Hybrid telework agreements expire on 12/31/2021. If a current telework agreement expires on a later date, or if it does not meet the criteria laid out below, I am asking that it be reviewed and resubmitted by this date. If staff plan to continue to telework, a new or renewed telework agreement must be submitted for Winter Quarter. You can find the Plan for Hybrid or Occasional Telework here.

Here are the expectations regarding telework:

• Staff may telework for up to two days (16 hours) per week, if your supervisor determines it is operationally feasible.
• Staff do not have to telework.
• Supervisors will work with direct reports to establish telework plans responsive to the revised UW telework policy. Any plan beyond occasional telework must be documented in a formal agreement. UW has created three types of telework plans: occasional, hybrid and fully remote.

• Occasional telework arrangements are infrequent and not regularly scheduled. Occasional telework does not require a formal agreement, however, supervisor approval must be documented through email.
• Hybrid telework allows an employee to work remotely up to two days (16 hours) per week. A formal telework agreement is required and must be approved by the unit's Vice Chancellor.
• 100% Remote telework (or any plan with more than two days per week of telework) requires Vice Chancellor and Chancellor approval.

• Units should develop office calendars documenting who will be on-site and for what timeframes to ensure that there is coverage to keep offices open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

As always, there will be exceptions to these guidelines, but I want everyone to understand the expectations. I am asking all unit supervisors to use these guidelines as they plan for Winter Quarter operations.

Thank you again for your continued dedication to our students and the mission of UW Tacoma. If applicable, please work with your supervisor to create your telework agreement for Winter Quarter and submit it to Lorraine Toler ltoler2@uw.edu by December 30.

Sincerely,

Sheila Edwards Lange

Chancellor