Purpose and Benefits

The TP shall provide an eligible employee the opportunity to temporarily alter a work location to the employee’s residence.  The TP is made available for extraordinary reasons, fiscal or operational needs as determined by ODNR management and is limited to ninety (90) days within any consecutive three hundred sixty-five (365) day period.  The TP shall assist ODNR in reaching the strategic planning objective of “pursuing and implementing innovative techniques, applications and solutions that promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness.”

General Provisions

Participation in the TP is strictly voluntary on the part of the employee and within the exclusive discretion of Management.  ODNR shall not coerce any employee into working from his/her residence.  When implementing the TP, ODNR shall remain in compliance with existing provisions of the collective bargaining agreements and not supersede any existing agreements.

Eligibility

With the written approval of the requesting employee’s supervisor, Division Chief, Office of Human Resource (HR) Chief, Deputy Director & Director, all ODNR OCSEA, Exempt, Project, and Intermittent employees are eligible to request participation in the TP.  Excluded from eligibility are seasonal employees, FOP employees and all temporary employees.

Application and Approval Process

An employee requesting to participate in the TP must complete and submit a TP Agreement to his/her immediate supervisor not less than thirty (30) calendar days prior to the commencement of the proposed schedule.  The Supervisor, upon making his/her recommendation, shall forward the TP Agreement to the Division/Office Chief or Designee for approval.  Upon obtaining the Chief’s approval, the request is forwarded to the HR Chief for approval.  Upon obtaining the HR Chief’s approval, the request is forwarded to the originating Division’s Deputy Director for approval.  Upon obtaining the Deputy Director’s approval, the request is forwarded to the Director for final approval.  The originating Division shall notify the employee of the status of the request within seven (7) calendar days before the effective date of the proposed TP schedule.  ODNR maintains the right to determine operational needs and work schedules pursuant to applicable collective bargaining agreements and civil service law.  The denial of an employee’s participation in the TP is not grievable.

The original TP Agreement and schedule is maintained by the originating Division’s HR Manager.  A copy of the schedule is retained by the employee participating in the TP.  The originating Division’s HR Manager shall also send a copy to the ODNR Labor Relations Section to monitor all participation in the TP.

It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure any impact of such work arrangement to operations is minimal.   Specifically, the utilization of the TP shall not:

• Exceed ninety (90) days in any consecutive three hundred sixty-five (365) day period
• Negatively impact the safety and security of the operation
• Result in any additional expense to the work unit (e.g., internet, computer or any other form of usage charges; overtime to cover for the employee who is participating in the program, etc.)
• Adversely impact the service levels to both internal and external customers provided by the work unit
• Impact federal, state, or local program mandates

Early Termination

ODNR may terminate a TP Agreement upon providing ten (10) working day’s notice in writing to the employee.  Such termination is not grievable.  The employee may also terminate his/her TP Agreement upon ten (10) working day’s notice in writing unless mutually agreed to otherwise.

Pilot Period

ODNR shall implement the TP for a one-year pilot period beginning August 1, 2006, and ending July 31, 2007.  Throughout the one year pilot period, the ODNR Labor/Management Team shall monitor the program in order to assess its applicability, benefits and areas for improvement. The ODNR Labor Relations Section shall keep records of those who have participated in the program and how many hours each participant worked from home.

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