11.2.21 Global Telecommuting
Employee requests to work in a location outside of the United States for an extended period of time require the legal authority to work in the requested country. Sponsorship of work authorization outside of the U.S. is complicated, time-consuming and often not possible depending on each country’s immigration laws.
If the appropriate work immigration status can be obtained, approval of the Dean, Vice Provost, or Vice President of the school/unit and the school/unit’s Human Resources Manager is required to proceed. Global HR Programs and Global Business Services must be consulted regarding employee requests to telecommute outside the country of hire prior to any decision, as the viability of each request is considered based on individual circumstance (such as the employee’s country of residence and/or citizenship, possible dual citizenship, etc.). Work authorization and tax rules in other countries may make such arrangements cost-prohibitive regardless of the level of approval. Any agreement must contain information regarding the University’s right to end the agreement if necessary. Refer to Administrative Guide Memo 2.1.21 for more information about general University telecommuting policy.
An agreement between the telecommuting employee and the employee’s home department is required, and will be placed in the employee’s personnel file. Global HR Programs has draft agreements that include language necessary for global telecommuting situations. The telecommuting agreement may be modified or terminated at any time, with appropriate notice.