Flexwork at DGSOM

While guidance will vary depending on the faculty member’s roles and responsibilities, faculty leaders should begin by using the following guidelines when evaluating faculty-initiated telecommuting requests:

1. Does the faculty member have clinical/patient-facing duties?

If so, faculty are advised to follow policies and standards set by the UCLA health system for its hospitals and clinics regarding return-to-onsite-work.

2. Is the individual an academic appointee/educator?

Faculty with teaching responsibilities are expected to follow UC policy, which states:

“Consistent with the Academic Personnel Manual, collective bargaining agreements, and other policies, to maintain a significant presence on campus in order to fulfill their obligations to students, colleagues, and the University as a whole. As all are aware, the excellence of the University depends on academic appointees and their engagement with the University’s mission, which is largely rooted in common, in-person experiences. Nevertheless, as Fall 2021 will be a period of transition, campuses may determine that some academic appointees may need flexible work arrangements. Campuses are expected to exercise their judgment and utilize principles of equity in making these determinations, by considering an appointee’s job duties and relevant academic and programmatic needs. As much as possible, campuses should refer to the Academic Personnel Manual and the relevant collective bargaining agreements to guide their decision-making in this regard” (June 23, 2021, memo from UC Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs).

3. Are you assessing the request of a DGSOM faculty member who may not fall into one of the above categories?

Speak with your Department Chair to determine if/when telecommuting may be appropriate. Department Chairs who require additional guidance should consult with DGSOM Academic Affairs.

4. Can the faculty member be effectively managed in a remote setting?

For faculty-initiated telecommuting requests, please begin by reading the criteria listed in questions 1-3 above. Per UC and UCLA health system policies, faculty/academic appointees are expected to maintain a significant presence on campus. Outside of these groups, individual requests and assessments for hybrid arrangements are made at the level of the Department Chair and will require the submission of an “Employee-initiated telework proposal.”

In addition to the considerations outlined below, supervisors may also consider the following when determining whether an individual faculty member’s performance/productivity can be effectively managed in a remote setting:

• Is the faculty member facing disciplinary/corrective actions?
• Does the faculty member currently meet the responsibilities of instruction (e.g., as defined in Faculty Code of Conduct: any significant failure to adhere, without legitimate reason, to the rules of the faculty in the conduct of courses, to meet class, to keep office hours, or to hold examinations as scheduled)?
• For research faculty, have supervisors observed a general trend of research productivity as assessed in that specific department/division?

For research faculty outside the United States: A faculty member overseeing research activities via telework will be expected to comply with the rules and regulations established by the funding agencies supporting that research, as well as with UCLA's policies.

5. Has the faculty member exhibited a working style suitable to telework?

Successful telecommuters are typically self-motivated, have the technical skill set to work with telecommuting tools (or can be trained quickly) and have strong time management skills.

If the faculty member has participated in remote work during the pandemic, have they exhibited best practices?Examples include:

• Responding to colleagues, emails, calls and requests in a timely manner
• Participating in virtual meetings with their video on, indicating high engagement and transparency
• Dressing professionally
• Exhibiting professional meeting etiquette (not distracted by emails, phone, environmental factors, etc.)
• “Arriving” on time to meetings
• Utilizing Zoom chat function to engage with colleagues and add to the conversation
• Maintaining strong, communicative relationships with colleagues, colleagues and peers
• Attending virtual team-building events
• Learning and utilizing key remote-work technical capabilities (screen-sharing, scheduling Zoom meetings, etc.)

1. Can the work be successfully performed in a remote setting?

Positions that can be regularly performed remotely are those that don’t require a traditional office or clinical space to deliver their service and do not require in-person interactions with internal and external customers/colleagues.

Jobs that entail working with equipment that can be easily moved to an alternate worksite are often more suitable for remote work. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Writers
• Editors
• Analysts
• Programmers
• Post-docs engaged in research, writing and study activities that can be performed effectively in a remote or hybrid-remote context

Work that can be performed remotely may still require some onsite presence for purposes of team-building, training or other activities that are more suitable for in-person settings. These types of activities are determined by the manager/department leadership.

Jobs that require physical presence or constant interaction with clients and coworkers may not be suitable for remote work. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Mail processors
• Grounds keepers
• Lab workers
• Patient-facing clinical personnel
• Educators (see “faculty guidelines”)

2. Can the employee be effectively managed in a remote setting?

Supervisors should be able to monitor and assess productivity.

For staff-initiated telecommuting agreements, staff must maintain a rating of at least “Effective” or “Meets Expectations” on their most recent performance evaluation. Employees under active performance management may not be allowed to participate.

For telecommuting agreements initiated by postdoctoral scholars, participation in flexwork requires the following: 1) the faculty supervisor should be able to adequately assess progress, 2) the post-doc should currently be meeting their academic and/or research progress goals, and 3) the post-doc should maintain a rating of “meets expectations” on annual evaluations. These requirements should continue to be monitored and tracked while telecommuting.

3. Has the employee exhibited a working style suitable to telework?

Successful telecommuters are typically self-motivated, have the technical skill set to work with telecommuting tools (or can be trained quickly) and have strong time management skills.

If the employee has participated in remote work during the pandemic, have they exhibited best practices? Examples include:

• Responding to colleagues, emails, calls and requests in a timely manner
• Participating in virtual meetings with their video on, indicating high engagement and transparency
• Dressing professionally
• Exhibiting professional meeting etiquette (not distracted by emails, phone, environmental factors, etc.)
• “Arriving” on time to meetings
• Utilizing Zoom chat function to engage with colleagues and add to conversation
• Maintaining strong, communicative relationships with colleagues, colleagues and peers
• Attending virtual team-building events
• Learning and utilizing key remote-work technical capabilities (screen-sharing, scheduling Zoom meetings, etc.)

Working with medical conditions or disabilities 

All telework requests related to a medical condition or disability should be referred to Employee Disability Management Services.

Working outside of California

Guidance from the University of California does allow out-of-state telework agreements under the following conditions:

1) The individual meets the same eligibility criteria listed above (including agreeing to travel to the primary onsite work location when required), and

2) the employee has reviewed and understands any implications associated with out-of-state telework, including potential differences in health and welfare benefits, compensation, payroll, tax withholdings, etc. Learn more >>

Additional local guidelines forthcoming.

Working outside the U.S.

Guidance is forthcoming. Check back soon.