H12 – Hybrid Work Procedures

Part 1: Introductory

1.0 Purpose

1.1

These procedures are intended to outline the process for requesting, approving, and implementing safe and effective hybrid work arrangements in a fair, equitable and consistent manner in accordance with the Hybrid Work Policy.

2.0 Definitions

2.1

“Hybrid Work” is a voluntary, temporary, and flexible work arrangement whereby an employee receives approval from management to perform their assigned duties through a work schedule that includes both on-campus and from home (or another approved off-campus location) work. Hybrid work does not change an employee’s work headquarters, work hours or terms and conditions of employment. At RRC Polytech hybrid work arrangements may include:

1. “Fixed Hybrid Work Arrangement” this type of arrangement involves a pre-determined schedule with specific days designated for on-campus work and specific days for work from home. For example, an employee might work on campus every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and work from home on Tuesday and Thursday. The schedule is consistent and agreed upon in advance.
2. “Flexible Hybrid Work Arrangement” this type of arrangement allows for more flexibility in determining on-campus and work from home scheduling, often within a set framework or minimum on-campus requirement. For example, an employee might be required to be on campus a minimum of two days per week, with the specific days varying based on operational requirements and individual preferences, as long as overall departmental expectations are met.
3. “Blended Hybrid Work Arrangement” this type of arrangement combines both fixed and flexible hybrid arrangements. For example, an employee might be expected to be on-site every Wednesday, while also having the autonomy and flexibility to choose additional on-campus or work from home days based on operational requirements and individual preferences.

2.2

“Hybrid Work Agreement” is a written arrangement between RRC Polytech and an employee outlining the terms and conditions of an approved hybrid work arrangement. The hybrid work agreement generally includes the agreed upon work schedule, duration of the arrangement, approved hybrid work location(s), equipment expectations, health and safety considerations, and performance and compliance requirements.

2.3

“Hybrid Work Safety Checklist” is a required tool used to assess and confirm that an employee’s work from home location meets health, safety, security, and ergonomic standards. The checklist must be completed as part of the hybrid work arrangement approval process and reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

2.4

“Employee” refers to any individual employed by RRC Polytech in a full-time, part-time, term, or contract capacity.

2.5

“Management” or “Manager” refers to individuals with the authority to oversee an employee’s work, approve work arrangements, and manage departmental operations. This may include Executive Directors, Directors, Deans, Managers, Chairs, or equivalents.

2.6

“On-Campus Work” means work performed from any RRC Polytech-occupied building, site, mobile vehicle, or any other premises or location whether indoors or outdoors in which one or more employees, or self-employed persons, are engaged in work or have worked.

2.7

“Work From Home” means work performed from an employee’s residence or another approved off-campus location that is safe, suitable, secure, and supports required work tasks.

2.8

“Workplace” is any place where an employee is engaged in work for their employer. This includes locations where work is being performed on-campus, outdoors, on third-party premises from home or any other approved work location. An approved workplace such as a home office is considered and is an extension of the workplace.

2.9

“Equipment” refers to the tools, technology, software, systems access, and workplace furnishings that an employee may need to effectively perform the duties of their position. These typically include:

• Laptop and charger
• Monitor(s), keyboard, and mouse
• Headset with microphone
• Docking station or adapter
• Access to a secure internet connection
• VPN or secure remote access tools
• Licensed software applications
• Workplace furnishings such as a desk, chair, and appropriate lighting

Equipment requirements will vary by position and will be determined by management.

2.10

“Operational Requirements” refers to the needs, priorities, and conditions required to fulfill RRC Polytech’s mandate, deliver services, and maintain academic and administrative excellence. Operational requirements will consider whether the nature of the work performed by the department or work area, the specific duties and responsibilities of the position and the individual performance of the employee are suitable for hybrid work. Operational requirements are a key factor in determining the suitability of hybrid work arrangements.

2.11

“Employee Interests or Preferences” refers to the individual circumstances, working styles, or situational factors that may influence an employee’s request for hybrid work including preferences related to work-life balance, commuting, focus and productivity, or work environment. These are not the same as formal employment accommodations requests related to disability, medical needs, family status or other protected grounds under human rights legislation which are addressed under the Employment Accommodation Policy.

3.0 Application

3.1

These procedures apply to all employees, managers and supporting departments involved in the request, review, approval, and implementation of hybrid work arrangements as outlined in the Hybrid Work Policy.

3.2

These procedures do not apply to:

1. Critical operational situations, such as campus closures due to adverse weather, emergencies, or public health directives. These situations are managed under separate continuity or emergency response policies and procedures and may result in the modification or temporary termination of established hybrid work arrangements.
2. Ad hoc, occasional, or one-time work-from-home requests (e.g., a single day working from home). These types of requests are managed informally and at the discretion of the employee’s manager and do not require a formal hybrid work agreement.
3. Employment accommodations employees requesting or requiring employment accommodation related to disability, medical need, or other protected grounds under human rights legislation must establish the accommodation in accordance with the Employment Accommodation Policy.
4. Hybrid work arrangements that involve faculty performing administrative duties such as marking or curriculum development from home, or another approved off-site location, as agreed to by management in accordance with the collective agreement.
5. Requests for out-of-province or international hybrid work. These types of requests would require consultation with Human Resource Services and exceptional consideration/approvals.

3.3

Hybrid work arrangements established under the Hybrid Work Policy are not intended as a replacement for sick leave or ongoing family or childcare responsibilities.

Part 2: Procedures

These procedures establish the process for implementing and managing safe and effective hybrid work arrangements across RRC Polytech. They are designed to promote consistency, fairness, operational effectiveness, and support flexible work options where appropriate.

4.0 Departmental Assessment

4.1

To determine whether hybrid work is operationally supportable within a department, management must conduct a formal assessment using the Hybrid Work Departmental Assessment Tool.

4.2

This tool is designed to guide departments in evaluating job functions, operational requirements, service delivery impacts, and team dynamics in relation to hybrid work. The purpose of this tool is to ensure that any decision regarding hybrid work feasibility is based on a consistent and comprehensive review of operational requirements.

4.3

Once a manager has completed a departmental assessment, the assessment must be reviewed and approved. Assessments completed by Managers/Chairs must be submitted to their Directors/Deans for review/approval. Assessments completed by Directors/Deans must be submitted to their Executive Directors (or equivalents) for review/approval. All recommendations should be reviewed or acknowledged by the Executive Director (or equivalent).

4.4

Once reviewed and approved, a manager is then responsible for communicating the outcomes of the departmental assessment to all employees within their departmental area in a clear, consistent, and transparent manner. Communication must outline consistent parameters around the types of hybrid work arrangements that can be requested; whether there are any specific days employees are required to be on-campus or minimum on-campus schedules employees are required to adhere to. The communication must also outline how and by when employees must submit their requests for hybrid work.

4.5

Human Resource Services is available to provide advice and guidance throughout the departmental assessment process and to support the communication process as needed.

5.0 Employee Requests

5.1

Employees seeking to participate in a hybrid work arrangement must submit a formal request using the Hybrid Work Employee Request Form.

5.2

This form standardizes the request process and ensures the necessary information is collected to support a fair, consistent, and transparent assessment of employee requests.

5.3

Human Resource Services is available to provide advice and guidance to employees in completing the employee request form.

6.0 Managers’ Assessment

6.1

Managers are required to assess each submitted hybrid work requests using the Hybrid Work Managers Assessment Tool.

6.2

The Managers Assessment Tool is designed to guide managers on conducting a balanced assessment of employee requests that considers both operational requirements and employee interests or preferences. The tool also serves as the documentation tool for managers to record the rationale for their decision.

6.3

After reviewing the request, managers must communicate the outcome of the assessment to the employee in a timely and transparent manner. The outcomes include that a manager may approve, modify or deny a hybrid work request. Managers are expected to provide employees with a rationale for their decision.

6.4

Managers are required to submit the completed Managers Assessment Tool to Human Resource Services.

6.5

Human Resource Services is available to provide support to managers in assessing requests and determining appropriate outcomes.

7.0 Hybrid Work Agreements

7.1

Where a hybrid work request is approved, the arrangement must be formally documented using the Hybrid Work Agreement Template.

7.2

This template outlines the agreed-upon work schedule, expectations, and conditions of the hybrid arrangement. The purpose of this agreement is to clearly define responsibilities and establish mutual understanding between the employee and the manager. Both the employee and manager are required to complete and sign the agreement.

7.3

The signed agreement must then be submitted to Human Resource Services for central coordination and tracking.

7.4

Employees in hybrid work agreement are required to accurately reflect their time in the HRIS system. This means that for any hours an employee is working from home, or an alternate approved work from home location, the employee must enter the ‘Regular Hours Worked @ Home [1031]’ code in the HRIS system.

7.5

Management retains the discretion to require an employee to attend on-campus at any time, regardless of the terms outlined in their hybrid work agreement. While every effort will be made to provide reasonable advance notice, operational requirements may necessitate short-notice requirements. Travel and parking expenses incurred when commuting from the employee’s hybrid work location to an on-campus work location are not eligible for reimbursement. Unless otherwise approved by management, such commuting time will not be considered time worked.

8.0 Hybrid Work Safety Checklist

8.1

A Hybrid Work Safety Checklist must be completed for every work from location identified in the hybrid work agreement. Management must be satisfied that the proposed hybrid work location meets the criteria set out in the checklist. The checklists must be completed and submitted to Human Resource Services prior to the start of any agreement.

8.2

The purpose of the safety checklist is to uphold the Polytech’s commitment to employee safety and health and to ensure that an employee’s hybrid work environment meets health and safety requirements. The checklists ensure both employees and their managers have a clear, shared understanding of the expectations and their responsibilities for establishing and maintaining safe hybrid work arrangements and for reporting and responding to health and safety concerns.

8.3

Employees are required to report any workplace injuries occurring in a hybrid work location during work hours by contacting their manager and Safety, Health, and Security Services. Management is required to respond to emerging safety and health concerns that are brought to their attention.

8.4

Employees are not permitted to conduct in-person meetings at their work from home location.

8.5

Safety, Health, and Security Services is available to provide advice and guidance to employees and managers on the safety checklist and related safety and health concerns or considerations.

9.0 Equipment and Information Security

9.1

The Polytech will provide employees with the equipment required to effectively perform the assigned duties of their position while working on-campus.

9.2

Equipment requirements will vary by position and will be determined by management.

9.3

Management shall make determinations about equipment requirements in a consistent and cost-effective manner.

9.4

Management is responsible for tracking and maintaining accurate records of assigned equipment. Employees are responsible for keeping all assigned equipment safe, secure, and in good condition, and for using it in accordance with the Hybrid Work Policy. All equipment must be used appropriately and returned to the Polytech, upon request or when no longer needed, such as upon termination of employment or a change in work arrangement.

9.5

Employees will be permitted to transport their personal computing device (i.e., their laptop) back and forth between their on-campus work location and their work from home location. All other equipment and costs associated with the set up and maintenance of safe and effective work from home locations will be the responsibility of the employee.

9.6

Employees will be responsible for determining their eligibility for and claiming any eligible deductions on their personal income tax returns in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines.

9.7

Equipment for on-campus work must be procured in accordance with the Polytech’s procurement procedures.

9.8

Employees must comply with all institutional policies related to information security, data privacy, and the handling of confidential information, regardless of work location. Management and employees are responsible for ensuring that all sensitive information can be properly secured and protected from loss. Plans must be in place and documented in the hybrid work agreement to identify how any physical copies of sensitive information kept in hybrid work locations will be stored, protected, and appropriately disposed of. In the event of a theft, information breach or security breach, the employee must immediately report to their manager so that appropriate mitigation steps can be taken.

9.9

Information Technology Solutions is available to provide advice and guidance on equipment and information security requirements.

10.0 On-Campus Work Location Planning

10.1

Management will ensure that employees have a designated on-campus work location to be used during scheduled on-campus days. Each employee may not be assigned a dedicated workstation, but management will ensure a shared or flexible workstation is available for all employees who are working on-campus.

10.2

Environmental Stewardship and Campus Renewal are available to provide advice and guidance on space planning, shared workstations, and available on-campus work locations.

11.0 Employee Performance, Conduct and Accountability

11.1

Employees working under a hybrid arrangement must continue to meet all performance expectations, be available during working hours, and comply with all Polytech policies, procedures, and codes of conduct.

11.2

To support shared understanding, managers and employees must define expectations related to availability, communication, deliverables, and accountability.

11.3

Employees are expected to follow their agreed-upon work schedule and be available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

11.4

Any applicable overtime must be pre-approved in accordance with institutional practices.

11.5

Human Resource Services is available to support managers and employees in establishing and reviewing performance and accountability expectations.

12.0 Review of Hybrid Work Agreements

12.1

All hybrid work agreements must be reviewed annually to align with the academic and operational planning cycle. As part of this annual review all hybrid work agreements and hybrid work safety checklists must be updated and submitted to Human Resource Services. Managers may conduct more frequent reviews at their discretion.

12.2

Hybrid work arrangements may be modified or terminated at any time due to performance concerns, operational needs, or other considerations, with appropriate notice.

12.3

Human Resource Services is available to provide advice and guidance on the modification or termination of hybrid work arrangements.

13.0 Additional Resources and Supports

13.1

Additional resources to support the effective implementation and management of hybrid work arrangements are available on Staff Forum.