This is a reminder to follow the below flexible/telework guidance in case of snow/weather closures. For further questions regarding the Emergency Closing, refer to the George Mason Inclement Weather/Emergency Closings policy.
Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible with employees and allow additional telework days during inclement weather OR allow for unscheduled leave to be taken.
Telework Closure Guideline Reminders
Telework eligible employees with a current telework agreement:
- Are REQUIRED to work or take leave during a closure - even if the closure is NOT on their normal telework day.
- During a delayed opening/early closure, telework eligible employees, with a current telework agreement, are REQUIRED to work a full schedule
- Delayed opening: Telework in the morning before coming to campus if they are scheduled to be on campus that day. Planned telework should continue as scheduled.
- Early Closure: Telework in the afternoon after leaving campus if they are scheduled to be on campus that day. Planned telework should continue as scheduled.
Non-designated, Telework Eligible employees without Telework Agreements:
- With supervisor approval, are expected to telework, provided they have the necessary tools at the home location to meet system security standards for telework.
- If they cannot perform work at home, should use University Leave for closures or delayed openings.
Flexible Work Policy - University Policy 2202
Flexible Work includes full-time telework/remote work, hybrid telework, compressed schedules or flextime options.
- The employee or supervisor may terminate an existing Flexible/Telework Work Agreement at any time.
- Flexible work duties will be arranged so as to neither alter the essential job responsibilities nor to compromise the level of service provided to the customer, either by the employee or the department.
- Flexible work arrangements work best when they contribute positively to employees’ work/life balance, while not negatively impacting their productivity and availability.
- Failure to follow policies, rules and practices may result in termination of the arrangement and/or disciplinary action.
Telework Policy - FAQs
Telework is only considered successful if there is NO drop in productivity, responsiveness, or availability during the telework day.
- The goal is to create a win-win situation that effectively balances the needs of the department and its employees
- Supervisors need to assess the impact of Flexible Work arrangements on their department’s continuity of operations, customer service, and goals when making scheduling decisions.
- Employees are expected to attend all scheduled meetings, respond to emails, and be available via phone (Teams) during telework hours the same as they would during a day in the office.
- If an employee is unreachable during their telework hours, or does not attend scheduled meetings, they may be written up as "no-call-no-show.
- Telework is NOT a substitute for taking leave, but may help reduce the amount of leave an employee needs to take.
- For example, if an employee needs to leave early to pick their child up from school, they might need to take leave starting at 2pm if they were in the office, but wouldn’t need to take leave until 3pm if they are teleworking. This saves the employee an hour of leave and gains the department an extra hour of productivity.
- Telework is NOT suitable when acting as primary child-care.
- Employees are encouraged to work directly with their supervisors to take unscheduled leave if they are unable to fulfill job responsibilities and meet business unit needs during the university closure.
- All Telework eligible employees should take their laptop home every day - you never know when inclement weather is coming.