Telecommuting Policy - SAMPLE

XYZ Corporation considers telecommuting to be a viable alternative work arrangement in

cases where individual, job and supervisor characteristics are best suited to such an
arrangement. Telecommuting allows an employee to work at home, on the road, or in a
satellite location for all or part of their regular workweek. Telecommuting is a voluntary work
alternative that may be appropriate for some employees and some jobs. It is not an
entitlement; it is not a company-wide benefit; and it in no way changes the terms and
conditions of employment with XYZ Corporation.

Procedure

1. Either an employee or a supervisor can suggest telecommuting as a possible work

arrangement.
2. Telecommuting can be informal, such as working from home for a short-term project
or on the road during business travel, or formal, as will be described below. Other
informal, short-term arrangements may be made for employees on family or medical
leave, to the extent practical for the employee and the organization, and with the
consent of the employee's health care provider, if appropriate. All informal
telecommuting arrangements are made on a case by case basis, focusing on the
business needs of the organization first. Such informal arrangements are not the focus
of this policy.
3. Individuals requesting formal telecommuting arrangements must have been employed
with XYZ Corporation for a minimum of 12 months of continuous, regular employment
and must have exhibited above average performance, in accordance with the
company's performance appraisal process.
4. Any telecommuting arrangement made will be on a trial basis for the first 3 months,
and may be discontinued, at will, at any time at the request of either the
telecommuter or the organization.
5. XYZ Corporation will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the
supervisor, the appropriate equipment needs (including hardware, software, modems,
phone and data lines, facsimile equipment or software, photocopiers, etc.) for each
telecommuting arrangement on a case-by-case basis. The human resource and
information system departments will serve as resources in this matter. Equipment
supplied by the organization will be maintained by the organization. Equipment
supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate by the organization, will be
maintained by the employee. XYZ Corporation accepts no responsibility for damage or
repairs to employee-owned equipment. XYZ Corporation reserves the right to make
determinations as to appropriate equipment, subject to change at any time.
Equipment supplied by the organization is to be used for business purposes only. The
telecommuter should sign an inventory of all office property and agrees to take
appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. Upon termination of
employment all company property will be returned to the company, unless other
arrangements have been made.
6. Consistent with the organization's expectations of information asset security for
employees working at the office full-time, telecommuting employees will be expected
to ensure the protection of proprietary company and customer information accessible
from their home office. Steps include, but are not limited to, use of locked file
cabinets, disk boxes and desks, regular password maintenance, and any other steps
appropriate for the job and the environment.
7. The employee will establish an appropriate work environment within their home for
work purposes. XYZ Corporation will not be responsible for costs associated with initial
setup of the employee's home office such as remodeling, furniture or lighting, nor for
repairs or modifications to the home office space. Employees will be offered
appropriate assistance in setting up a work station designed for safe, comfortable
work.

* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.
 8. After equipment has been delivered, a designated representative of XYZ Corporation
will visit the employee's home work site to inspect for possible work hazards and
suggest modifications. Repeat inspections will occur on an as-needed basis. Injuries
sustained by the employee while at their home work location and in conjunction with
their regular work duties are normally covered by the company's workers'
compensation policy. Telecommuting employees are responsible for notifying the
employer of such injuries in accordance with company worker's compensation
procedures. The employee is liable for any injuries sustained by visitors to their work
site.
9. XYZ Corporation will supply the employee with appropriate office supplies (pens,
paper, etc.) for successful completion of job responsibilities. The organization will also
reimburse the employee for all other business-related expenses such as phone calls,
shipping costs, etc. that are reasonably incurred in accordance with job
responsibilities.
10. The employee and manager will agree on the number of days of telecommuting
allowed each week, the work schedule the employee will customarily maintain, and the
manner and frequency of communication. The employee agrees to be accessible by
phone or modem within a reasonable time period during the agreed upon work
schedule.
11. Telecommuting employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the
Fair Labor Standards Act will be required to record all hours worked in a manner
designated by the organization. Telecommuting employees will be held to a higher
standard of compliance than office-based employees due to the nature of the work
arrangement. Hours worked in excess of those specified per day and per work week,
in accordance with state and federal requirements will require the advance approval of
the supervisor. Failure to comply with this requirement can result in the immediate
cessation of the telecommuting agreement.
12. Before entering into any telecommuting agreement, the employee and manager, with
the assistance of the human resource department, will evaluate the suitability of such
an arrangement paying particular attention to the following areas:
o Employee Suitability - the employee and manager will assess the needs and
work habits of the employee, compared to traits customarily recognized as
appropriate for successful telecommuters.
o Job Responsibilities - the employee and manager will discuss the job
responsibilities and determine if the job is appropriate for a telecommuting
arrangement.
o Equipment needs, work space design considerations and scheduling issues.
o Tax and other legal implications for the business use of the employee's home
based on IRS and state and local government restrictions. Responsibility for
fulfilling all obligations in this area rests solely with the employee.
13. If the employee and manager agree, and the human resource department concurs, a
draft telecommuting agreement will be prepared and signed by all parties and a 3
month trial period will commence.
14. Evaluation of telecommuter performance during the trial period will include daily
interaction by phone and e-mail between the employee and the manager, and weekly
face-to-face meetings to discuss work progress and problems. At the conclusion of the
trial period the employee and manager will each complete an evaluation of the
arrangement and make recommendations for continuance or modifications. Evaluation
of telecommuter performance beyond the trial period will be consistent with that
received by employees working at the office in both content and frequency but will
focus on work output and completion of objectives rather than time-based
performance.
15. An appropriate level of communication between the telecommuter and supervisor will
be agreed to as part of the discussion process and will be more formal during the trial
period. After conclusion of the trial period, the manager and telecommuter will
communicate at a level consistent with employees working at the office or in a manner
and frequency that seems appropriate for the job and the individuals involved.

* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.
 16. Telecommuting is NOT designed to be a replacement for appropriate child care.
Although an individual employee's schedule may be modified to accommodate child
care needs, the focus of the arrangement must remain on job performance and
meeting business demands. Prospective telecommuters are encouraged to discuss
expectations of telecommuting with family members prior to entering into a trial
period.
17. Employees entering into a telecommuting agreement may be required to forfeit use of
a personal office or workstation in favor of a shared arrangement to maximize
organization office space needs.
18. In certain limited circumstances, XYZ Corporation may contract with an office space
provider to meet the needs of employees who wish to telecommute but who do not
have appropriate home office space, or for groups of employees whose proximity to
the organization and to each other makes such an arrangement feasible.
19. The availability of telecommuting as a flexible work arrangement for employees of XYZ
Corporation can be discontinued at any time at the discretion of the employer. Every
effort will be made to provide 30 days notice of such a change to accommodate
commuting, child care and other problems that may arise from such a change. There
may be instances, however, where no notice is possible.

* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.
Social Media Policy - SAMPLE

[Company Name] takes no position on your decision to start or maintain a blog or participate
in other social networking activities. However, it is the right and duty of the company to
protect itself from unauthorized disclosure of information. [Company Name]’s social
networking policy includes rules and guidelines for company-authorized social networking and
personal social networking and applies to all executive officers, board members, management
and staff.

General Provisions

Blogging or other forms of social media or technology include but are not limited to video or
wiki postings, sites such as Facebook and Twitter, chat rooms, personal blogs or other similar
forms of online journals, diaries or personal newsletters not affiliated with [Company Name].

Unless specifically instructed, employees are not authorized and therefore restricted to speak
on behalf of [Company Name]. Employees may not publicly discuss clients, products,
employees or any work-related matters, whether confidential or not, outside company-
authorized communications. Employees are expected to protect the privacy of [Company
Name] and its employees and clients and are prohibited from disclosing personal employee
and nonemployee information and any other proprietary and nonpublic information to which
employees have access. Such information includes but is not limited to customer information,
trade secrets, financial information and strategic business plans.

Employer Monitoring

Employees are cautioned that they should have no expectation of privacy while using the
Internet. Your postings can be reviewed by anyone, including [Company Name]. [Company
Name] reserves the right to monitor comments or discussions about the company, its
employees, clients and the industry, including products and competitors, posted on the
Internet by anyone, including employees and non-employees. [Company Name] uses blog-
search tools and software to monitor forums such as blogs and other types of personal
journals, diaries, personal and business discussion forums, and social networking sites.

Employees are cautioned that they should have no expectation of privacy while using company
equipment or facilities for any purpose, including authorized blogging.

[Company Name] reserves the right to use content management tools to monitor, review or
block content on company blogs that violate company blogging rules and guidelines.

Reporting Violations

[Company Name] requests and strongly urges employees to report any violations or possible
or perceived violations to supervisors, managers or the HR department. Violations include
discussions of [Company Name] and its employees and clients, any discussion of proprietary
information and any unlawful activity related to blogging or social networking.

Discipline for Violations

[Company Name] investigates and responds to all reports of violations of the social
networking policy and other related policies. Violation of the company’s social networking
policy will result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination. Discipline or
termination will be determined based on the nature and factors of any blog or social
* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.
networking post. [Company Name] reserves the right to take legal action where necessary
against employees who engage in prohibited or unlawful conduct.

Acknowledgment

Employees are required to sign a written acknowledgement that they have received, read,
understood and agreed to comply with the company’s social networking policy and any other
related policy.

Authorized Social Networking

The goal of authorized social networking and blogging is to become a part of the industry
conversation and promote web-based sharing of ideas and exchange of information.
Authorized social networking and blogging is used to convey information about company
products and services, promote and raise awareness of the [Company Name] brand, search
for potential new markets, communicate with employees and customers to brainstorm, issue
or respond to breaking news or negative publicity, and discuss corporate, business-unit and
department-specific activities and events.

When social networking, blogging or using other forms of web-based forums, [Company
Name] must ensure that use of these communications maintains our brand identity, integrity
and reputation while minimizing actual or potential legal risks, whether used inside or outside
the workplace.

Rules and Guidelines

The following rules and guidelines apply to social networking and blogging when authorized by
the employer and done on company time. The rules and guidelines apply to all employer-
related blogs and social networking entries, including employer subsidiaries or affiliates.

Only authorized employees can prepare and modify content for [Company Name]’s blog
located on [web site] and/or the social networking entries located on [web site]. Content must
be relevant, add value and meet at least one of the specified goals or purposes developed by
[Company Name]. If uncertain about any information, material or conversation, discuss the
content with your manager.

All employees must identify themselves as employees of [Company Name] when posting
comments or responses on the employer’s blog or on the social networking site.

Any copyrighted information where written reprint information has not been obtained in
advance cannot be posted on [Company Name]’s blog.

Business units and departments are responsible for ensuring all blogging and social
networking information complies with [Company Name]’s written policies. Business unit and
department heads are authorized to remove any content that does not meet the rules and
guidelines of this policy or that may be illegal or offensive. Removal of such content will be
done without permission of the blogger or advance warning.

[Company Name] expects all guest bloggers to abide by all rules and guidelines of this policy.
Company reserves the right to remove, without advance notice or permission, all guest
bloggers’ content considered inaccurate or offensive. [Company Name] also reserves the right
to take legal action against guests who engage in prohibited or unlawful conduct.

* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.
Personal Blogs

[Company Name] respects the right of employees to write blogs and use social networking
sites and does not want to discourage employees from self-publishing and self-expression.
Employees are expected to follow the guidelines and policies set forth to provide a clear line
between you as the individual and you as the employee.

[Company Name] respects the right of employees to use blogs and social networking sites as
a medium of self-expression and public conversation and does not discriminate against
employees who use these media for personal interests and affiliations or other lawful
purposes.

Bloggers and commenters are personally responsible for their commentary on blogs and social
networking sites. Bloggers and commenters can be held personally liable for commentary that
is considered defamatory, obscene, proprietary or libelous by any offended party, not just
[Company Name].

Employees cannot use employer-owned equipment, including computers, company-licensed

software or other electronic equipment, nor facilities or company time, to conduct personal
bogging or social networking activities.

Employees cannot use blogs or social networking sites to harass, threaten, discriminate or
disparage against employees or anyone associated with or doing business with [Company
Name].

If you choose to identify yourself as a [Company Name] employee, please understand that
some readers may view you as a spokesperson for [Company Name]. Because of this
possibility, we ask that you state that your views expressed in your blog or social networking
area are your own and not those of the company, nor of any person or organization affiliated
or doing business with [Company Name].

Employees cannot post on personal blogs or other sites the name, trademark or logo of
[Company Name] or any business with a connection to [Company Name]. Employees cannot
post company-privileged information, including copyrighted information or company-issued
documents.

Employees cannot post on personal blogs or social networking sites photographs of other
employees, clients, vendors or suppliers, nor can employees post photographs of persons
engaged in company business or at company events.

Employees cannot post on personal blogs and social networking sites any advertisements or
photographs of company products, nor sell company products and services.

Employees cannot link from a personal blog or social networking site to [Company Name]’s
internal or external web site.

If contacted by the media or press about their post that relates to [Company Name] business,
employees are required to speak with their manager before responding.

If you have any questions relating to this policy, your personal blog or social networking,
ask your manager or supervisor.

* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.
* This document is adapted from a resource pool from the Society for Human Resource Management.
This is only a sample and has not been approved by an attorney. This sample document does not reflect
the employment laws of any or all of the fifty states. Use this as a recommendation; adapt it to your own
organization’s policies, practices, and culture; and above all, have any new policy reviewed by legal
counsel.