Telecommuting

 

Policy Number

PERS_0066

 

Policy Overview

Garden City Community College considers telecommuting to be a viable alternative work arrangement in certain circumstances which, when properly implemented and administered, benefits both the College and the telecommuter.  The college defines telecommuting as a work arrangement in which some or all of the regularly scheduled work is performed as an off- campus worksite.

Policy Statement

Telecommuting is a voluntary work alternative (unless specifically stated as a condition of employment) that may be appropriate for certain positions subject to college approval.  Garden City Community College allows telecommuting on an individual case basis.  Before a department and an employee may enter into an agreement, a Vice President of the respective area and/or President must authorize the individual to work from a remote site. 

Telecommuting is not an entitlement, it is not a college wide benefit; and it no way changes the basic terms and conditions of employment with GCCC.    Employees remain obligated to comply with all policies, practices and instruction.   Failure to do so may result in the termination of the telecommuting agreement and/or disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. 

Procedures

Overview

1. The telecommuting employee shall be responsible for loss or damage due to gross negligence or abuse to GCCC property that the employee is using at a site off of campus or location.
2. Employees are responsible for protection of GCCC information (FERPA, Registrar’s Record Management) in accordance with GCCC Computer Usage Policy. No employee, whether telecommuting, as defined by this policy or otherwise, may access data owned by GCCC, including data related to students or employees, or data that may be accessible remotely with GCCC logins through a publicly available server or WIFI system.    Employees may only access such data if the Office of Information Technology has certified that there is sufficient data security in place.
3. Telecommuting employees must use GCCC issued devices when fulfilling work obligations.
4. Telecommuting employees shall be responsible for following GCCC policies and supervisor’s directives of work hours. Employees may be subject to disciplinary action for inaccurately reporting work hours worked remotely. 

Eligibility Criteria

1. A job function acceptable for telecommuting is one that can be performed at a remote site without diminishing the quality of work or disrupting the productivity of an office. An employee interested in telecommuting must meet the following eligibility criteria:
2. Have a demonstrated ability to work well with minimal supervision;
3. Have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the job tasks and operations for which they are responsible;
4. Have a history of reliable and responsible accomplishment of work duties; and
5. Have demonstrated an ability to independently establish priorities and manage time.

Approval

1. Employees who wish to telecommute must obtain approval from their supervisor and from the Office of Information Technology, which certifies whether data security is reasonably secured. The Office of Information Technology may specify conditions to the approval, including but not limited to assignment of hardware.  The employees request must be approved by the appropriate Vice President and/or President.   The approved document serves as a telecommuting agreement between the College and the employee. 
2. The Office of Human Resources will maintain records of all telecommuting agreements.
3. A telecommuting agreement may remain in effect for the duration of employment in the position identified in the agreement, unless terminated in accordance with the procedures described. A new agreement must be completed if an employee changes positions. 

Employment Relationship

All forms of telecommuting imply an employee/employer relationship, with the employee receiving the same benefits and having the same responsibilities as a non-telecommuting employee.  Employee benefits including leave time, holidays, compensation, etc. are not affected by an employee’s telecommuting.  The telecommuting agreement does not constitute an employment contract and does not create a property interest in employment. 

Scheduling

1. The specific schedule for the telecommuting employee will be determined by the employee and the supervisor, and recorded in the telecommuting agreement. The telecommuting employee must be available for contact during scheduled work time as if the employee were working on campus.  Contact may include, telephone, network access or email.   The employee and supervisor will agree on how to appropriately maintain effective and responsive communication.
2. The operational needs of GCCC take precedence over telecommuting agreements. A telecommuting employee must come into the office as directed by their supervisor if needed during regular scheduled work hours.  A supervisor may allow for flexibility in scheduling the days of the week used for telecommuting and for week to week flexibility to meet the changing needs of the College. 

Termination of Participation

1. GCCC may terminate the telecommuting agreement for cause.
2. When the telecommuting agreement is terminated, the employee must immediately return to GCCC all equipment, software, supplies, notes, data, reports, records, reference material and any other College owned property in the employee’s possession or control.
3. GCCC will not be held responsible for costs, damages or losses associated with the termination of the telecommuting agreement.

Definitions

Gross Negligence

Gross Negligence is a conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care, which is likely to cause foreseeable harm to property.

Policy History:

July 2, 2026: Revised to include policy number

December 19, 2025: Reviewed for accessibility and formatting