Flexible Work Arrangement Requests

Owned by Dona Kurtz, created
Last updated: Aug 26, 2024
4 min read

FWAs are an approved ongoing variation regarding where a job is performed (location) or the time the work is performed (schedule). FWAs must be reviewed and approved by Deans, Vice Presidents (VPs), or other appointed leaders ("FWA Authorities").

FWAs apply to employees who are staff in both classified and administrative & professional positions.

Full-time in-person work arrangements do not require a completed agreement between supervisor and employee.

 Who Needs to Complete an FWA Request? 

Everyone! Whether or not you are getting the commuter subsidy, and whether or not your work schedule has changed recently, all staff need to have an FWA on file. The only exception is if your work schedule is on-campus Monday-Friday, 8 am-5 pm. If that's the case, ping me and let me know. Otherwise, please complete the form. 

 Launching the Form 

The folks in the DocuSign office helped me set up an employee-initiated PowerForm for our FWA requests. If you've never used these before, on the launch page, be sure to put in your EID email and your supervisor's EID email, not your normal email address. This ensures that the forms are routed correctly. You'll find a list of supervisor EIDs at the bottom of this message.

iSchool Flexible Work Arrangement Request PowerForm 

 What Happens After I Submit the Form? 

Good question! Here is the FWA routing:

  1. Employee completes and signs the form. If you have any questions about what goes on the form, see the FAQ at the end of this email or contact me. 

  2. The form routes to me for a quick review. I check to make sure that all necessary information is included on the request. Unfortunately, there's no way to send back the form for edits once the employee has signed it, so if corrections are needed, you'll need to start over.

  3. The form goes to the supervisor for review and approval.

  4. The form routes back to me for a final review and approval. If the request is outside of the norm for the iSchool, then I'll send it to the dean to review and she will sign it instead of me.

  5. Everyone on the approval chain gets a notification that the form is complete and we all high-five.

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

What is an EID email?

EID emails are secret email addresses used by various UT systems that require a standard email format. Everyone at UT has one, and the format is youreid@eid.utexas.edu. For example, my EID is donajo, and my EID email is donajo@eid.utexas.edu. DocuSign uses EID email addresses to make sure that documents route to the correct person, and to ensure that users can find their documents later if they forget to download them.

For your convenience, here are the iSchool Supervisors' EID emails: 

Emails sent to an EID email address are forwarded to the person's primary email address on file with the university. Feel free to try it out.

Am I Exempt or Non-Exempt?

If you're not sure which option applies to you, you can find out on your Workdayworker profile. Click on your position title under Job Details. On the next page, again under Job Details, at the bottom of the list, it will say "Job Exempt: Yes" or "Job Exempt: No."

Or, you can ask me whether you are exempt or non-exempt, and I'll tell you. If you select the wrong option, I'll correct it for you. (This and the type of FWA are the only edits I can make on the form once the employee signs it.)

The designations "exempt" and "non-exempt" have to do with whether a position is subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). These designations are set by HR based on job title, and determine whether or not an employee is eligible to earn overtime or not when they work more than 40 hours per week. If you want to know more about the FLSA and exempt/non-exempt, Google has you covered.

What type of FWA do I request?

If you are working both on campus and remotely, select "Hybrid".

If you are fully remote, select "Remote".

If your normal work hours are not 8 am-5 pm, select "Flexible Schedule."

Nearly all iSchool staff will select Hybrid and Flexible Schedule.

What does this have to do with the commuter subsidy?

The commuter subsidy is granted to staff members who earn less than $80,000 per year, and work on campus at least 3 days per week. HR and Payroll will use FWAs on file in Workday to determine whether employees are working at least 3 days on campus. Without an FWA on file, they will not know that you are eligible for the subsidy payment.

What if my schedule changes?

It is normal and expected for employee work schedules to shift and change, both in the short-term and in the long-term. Supervisors have the discretion to approve schedule changes lasting less than two weeks, whether it be a one-time occurance, like working from home while waiting for a plumber, or for a longer period, like going fully remote during the semester breaks. If your work schedule is expected to change on a more permanent basis, you'll need to submit a new FWA request.

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