Effectively pursuing our educational, research and service mission in the College of Natural Sciences (CNS) relies on having appropriate staff to support mission-critical work. While we will need to return to many working patterns we had before the pandemic, President Hartzell has indicated that AY21-22 will be a time to pilot flexible work arrangements on campus. Technology, market trends, and the experience of the pandemic allow us to think more broadly about effective work arrangements—including hybrid work locations and schedules—and assess more flexible options. In recognition of the wide range of professional responsibilities and duties required of CNS staff, a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) may be considered to optimally balance the needs of the College and an individual employee and/or work team, where feasible for a given job. 

These guidelines are designed to support CNS leaders in determining work arrangements, including formalizing options for hybrid work or flexible work schedules. The guidelines offer a framework for developing and evaluating work arrangements during the 2021-22 academic year. 

Guiding Principles

• Preserve and build on core values of excellence, learning, community, diversity, integrity, respect and responsibility
• Deliver world-class education and research
• Ensure equitable, transparent and fair processes
• Comply with university policies, as well as state and federal law
• Empower local decisions that prioritize business needs while considering employee preferences​​​​  

Scope, Expectations, and Limitations 

These preliminary guidelines for work arrangements apply to all CNS departments' staff positions.  Front-line supervisors will determine, in accordance with appropriate approval processes (see below), which job function(s) are eligible for remote/hybrid work, flexible schedules or other arrangements. 

The below CNS Guidelines should operate within central HR Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) Terms and Conditions. Ultimately supervisors and employees need to agree upon and co-sign a CNS FWA Request Proposal and a University FWA Agreement that will be retained by HR in employees' personnel files. These forms are expected to be available in July and August.

CNS Guidelines

Approval Process

Please review this information before accessing DocuSign Power Forms

CNS Power Forms DocuSign Guidance 

• For a schedule of 2 or fewer days per week working off campus, approval from your supervisor is required. Use only the supervisor approval fields in the FWA Request Proposal form.
• For a schedule of 3 or more days per week working off campus, approval from your department chair/leadership is required. Use the supervisor and optional signer approval fields in the FWA Request Proposal form. 
• For a schedule of 100% remote work outside of Texas, approval from your department chair/leadership is required in addition to CNS HR Director and Dean approval. Use the supervisor and optional signer fields in the FWA Request Proposal form. Please forward completed form to CNS HR at personnel@cns.utexas.edu for review by the Dean.
• Once the FWA Request Proposal is final approved, complete the FWA Agreement form.

Specific additional approvals required:

• 
  

  For department staff	From the department chair
  For dean’s office staff in a unit led by an associate or assistant deandean (Undergraduate Education, Graduate Education, Faculty Affairs, Research & Facilities)	From the associate or assistant dean
  For center, institute or dean’s office staff in units headed by a director or , chief officer or assistant dean who reports to the dean (i.e., UTeach, School of Human Ecology, McDonald Observatory, Dana Center, MSI, BIO, development, IT, communications)	From the respective director, assistant dean or (in CNS development) the chief development officer

  
  

• To work remotely outside of Texas, approval from the Dean, Chair, and CNS Director of Human Resources is required. .
• At this time, working remotely outside of the United States (you have permanently relocated your residence) is not allowed.  
• For questions or assistance in resolving an issue related to flexible work arrangements, contact personnel@cns.utexas.edu

Agreement Period 

• It is recommended that supervisors and employees review the arrangement initially at the 6-month mark and then on an annual basis to determine whether any changes should be made.
• The FWA may be altered or cancelled if there is a substantive change in the employee's job duties or performance. Supervisors are encouraged to give employees up to 30 days' notice before a new schedule goes into effect if possible.
• Supervisors are encouraged to give employees a minimum of 3 days' advance notice if a meeting or event requires an employee to come in on an off-campus day if possible.

Eligibility for a FWA

• Certain positions based on the work may not be eligible for FWA accommodations.
• Employees must have acceptable performance and not be under corrective action for the last 6 months. 
• Flexible work must be scheduled to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, including the Fair Labor Standards Act. 
• If an FWA is requested during the 6 month probation period for a new hire, special consideration should be taken to ensure adequate training. 

Requirements

• Access to reliable internet 
• CNS computer must be used to conduct any University business 
• Employee must provide a phone number 
• Determine work hours 
  • Should be consistent each week 
  • Certain positions will need to be close to the UT working hours, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. 
  • Certain positions (i.e. labs) that have had hours outside of working hours or inconsistency because of the nature of the work can continue 
• Determine how supervisors/coworkers/customers will know the schedule 
  • We recommend including the in-office days in your email signature 

Expenses 

• Individual units will make the determination if any costs will be supported.
• Approval from supervisor is required to take University property home; any necessary IT or inventory forms also must be completed.
• If an employee is needed on campus and has relocated out of the immediate area, travel expenses back to campus are the employee's responsibility.

Types of Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA)

FWAs can relate to location of work and work schedule. Some terminology used in CNS includes:

• Fully Flexible Schedule (flexible work hours to accommodate project and/or temporary worker needs)

• Hybrid (at least 1 day working off campus a week) 

• 100% Remote (working outside of the commutable area; will require additional approval) 

• International (staff cannot be hired who are based outside of the United States and do not intend to relocate)