Remote Work

  • The remote work program is limited to staff whose work can successfully be completed remotely. Based on that criteria, each department’s leadership has determined who is eligible to participate. Those who wish to work remotely must sign a Memorandum of Agreement form and return it to their supervisors. This indicates agreement to the terms and conditions listed below in the Remote Work Guidelines and Requirements section.

    Please be reminded that remote work is a change of work location; all work rules, regulations, protocols and expectations remain in effect unless you are expressly notified otherwise.

    Key elements of our remote work program:

    • Supervisors will determine the extent to which their program or service will participate. They will also determine the process for requesting remote days, including how far in advance the request to work remotely must be submitted.
    • Eligible employees may take a maximum of one day per week for remote work. Supervisor approval is required.
    • There are no rollover days. If an employee cannot take a scheduled remote day for their own reasons or due to the needs of the workgroup, the day will be canceled and not rescheduled.  
    • Only full days may be requested; no partial days will be approved.
    • Supervisors have the authority to use discretion and deny a request if it might interfere with the ability to address the required work of the individual or work group.
    • No employees will be permitted to work remotely on the Friday of one week and the Monday of the next week. If the Monday following is a BOCES-recognized holiday, the staff member will not be able to work remotely on that Tuesday. The use of remote work days adjacent to holidays will be subject to supervisory and departmental leadership decision as with other elements of the program.
    • Employee requests to work remotely in lieu of taking a sick day are not part of the program. Employees should follow the established procedure for requesting a medical accommodation from Human Resources.
    Comments (-1)

Remote Work Guidelines and Requirements

    1. Participating employees must check-in and check-out each day with their supervisor. Employees are also required to respond to telephone calls from their supervisor or other administrator in the department within 30 minutes. If unable to do so, the employee must email or text such administrator or supervisor to acknowledge the missed call and respond as soon as practicable thereafter.
    2. Remote work must be carried out in New York State, and participants must be within a two-hour commute of their office building should they be required to come in. Exceptions may be made by the immediate supervisor on a case-by-case basis.
    3. To the extent possible, employees will be provided with a Nassau BOCES laptop or other device. All work should be completed on this device or a Nassau BOCES platform (such as the Virtual Desktop). Please speak with your supervisor if you need additional tools to perform your work.
    4. Consistent with Nassau BOCES' expectations of information security for employees working at Nassau BOCES' locations, employee must ensure the protection of all data, including but not limited to Personally Identifiable Information, proprietary information, client information, and all other information, both electronic and hard copy, that is accessed from a remote work location.
    5. Employee must access the Internet through a secure Internet connection at the employee's own expense. Use of public WiFi, such as can be accessed at a coffee shop, is not allowed.
    6. Employee shall maintain their remote work location(s) in a safe manner, free from safety hazards and distractions. When participating in video meetings, such as Microsoft Teams or Zoom, the employee must remind other members of their household or visitors that they are not allowed to enter the room or be on camera.
    7. Nassau BOCES shall not be responsible for any costs associated with the set-up and/ or maintenance of any remote work location(s).
    8. Employee shall not be permitted to hold in-person meetings at any remote work location.
    9. Employee shall not be permitted to perform work for any employer other than Nassau BOCES, including self-employment, during their regular workday.
    10. Employee shall not be permitted to use Nassau BOCES equipment for personal use.
    11. Employee shall not be permitted to allow others to use Nassau BOCES equipment, nor shall the employee allow others to access the Nassau BOCES network.
    12. Employee agrees they shall not have sole responsibility for providing care to any dependent(s) who are present at the remote work location during regular work hours.
    13. Employees are required to maintain the same working hours as when they are working in a Nassau BOCES building.
    14. Employees are required to conduct themselves professionally when remote. Further, employees working remotely will be held to the same standards of decorum and shall be guided by Nassau BOCES policies, regulations and workplace rules in effect when they are working in person.
    15. Employees are required to be as available and responsive when working remotely as they are when working in a Nassau BOCES building.
    16. Microsoft Teams shall be used as the primary tool for collaborative work and meetings. It should also be used for internal communication instead of telephones.
    17. Employees shall either forward their desk phone number on remote days OR have their desk phone set up so that an email notification is sent when they have received a voicemail. Advance notice is required to have these features set up and a ticket with the request should be opened with Customer Care. Voicemail must be checked regularly. Messages must be deleted regularly to make room for new messages. Directions for the voicemail system can be found at www.nassauboces.org/remoteresources.
    18. Employees must maintain a log summarizing work performed daily, which should be submitted to their supervisor upon request.
    19. When participating in virtual meetings, employees must use their first and last names and shall not use virtual backgrounds that are not work-appropriate or make it appear as though they are on vacation. Also, politically charged backgrounds are discouraged. Virtual backgrounds can be found on the Agency’s remote work Web page, www.nassauboces.org/remoteresources.
    20. Employee shall be solely responsible for determining any tax implications or restrictions under IRS, state and local government laws associated with the performance of remote work.
    21. Accidents which occur at the remote work location shall not be eligible for Workers’ Compensation Insurance coverage.
    22. Employees who seek to work remotely for medical reasons are required to follow the established procedure for requesting a medical accommodation from Human Resources. Such requests shall be filed with the Department of Human Resources.