Telecommuting Program
Sonoma State recognizes that telecommuting arrangements, when operationally feasible and aligned with university needs, may support productivity, employee effectiveness, and operational continuity. At the same time, Sonoma State is an in-person university where student support, collaboration, accessibility, and campus engagement remain central to our work. Telecommuting approaches vary across divisions, departments, and roles based on operational needs, service expectations, team coordination, and the nature of the work being performed. As a result, telecommuting may not be feasible for all positions or work assignments.
This webpage provides managers and employees with guidance, resources, and information regarding telecommuting arrangements, operational considerations, request processes, and university expectations. Regardless of work arrangement, every role across the university contributes to supporting our students and advancing Sonoma State’s mission.
Telecommuting programs are currently available for employees represented by APC and CSUEU, as well as non-represented MPP, C99, and E99 employees. Employees should refer to the Telecommuting Program Guidelines, as well as applicable union met and conferred upon Telecommuting Program and associated MOU documents for specific information regarding telecommuting eligibility and requirements.
Operational Feasibility
Division leadership and managers are encouraged to thoughtfully and consistently assess operational feasibility when considering telecommuting arrangements, with special consideration given to:
- Quality of Student Services: Telecommuting arrangements must continue to support effective student service and campus operations.
- Business Operations and Goals: Telecommuting arrangements must support operational needs to ensure the success of the university as a whole.
Operational feasibility is not determined solely by whether individual tasks can technically be completed remotely. Consideration must also be given to operational continuity, team coordination, service delivery, supervision, student support, and the broader needs of the department and university. This includes ensuring departments maintain appropriate on-campus coverage during University business hours.
When considering telecommuting arrangements, managers and employees should consider questions such as:
- Can the responsibilities of the position be performed remotely with no difference in the level of service provided to campus?
- What are the days and time needed for in-person support of students or colleagues?
- What staffing levels and position types are needed for on-site support?
- What are the needs for in-person collaboration, meetings, or team coordination?
- Are there specific job functions that require being on-site?
- Are there tasks that require large blocks of time involving analysis, planning, data entry, reading, writing, programming, or similar work?
Given these considerations, telecommuting may not be feasible at a particular time based on operational needs, though it may become appropriate as circumstances evolve. Likewise, telecommuting arrangements that are initially approved may later need to be revised or discontinued in response to changing operational needs. Managers and employees should maintain open communication regarding the ongoing feasibility and effectiveness of telecommuting arrangements.
Telecommuting Arrangements
At Sonoma State, telecommuting refers to performing assigned duties and responsibilities from an approved remote workspace, typically in an employee’s residence or home office.
Telecommuting may occur through:
- an approved hybrid work schedule with a recurring remote work component, typically limited to 1-2 days of telecommuting per week, or
- intermittent telecommuting flexibility supported on an occasional basis when operationally appropriate.
Under either arrangement, the majority of an employee’s time is expected to be spent working on-site, and the university may require employees to return to campus for operational needs, events, meetings, trainings, or other significant university activities.
Needs will vary across divisions, departments, employees, and throughout the academic year. The approach that best serves a team or functional area will depend on several important factors, with student support and operational needs remaining the first priority. As a result, telecommuting may not be feasible for all positions or work assignments.
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Telecommuting Arrangements Are Not |
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Requesting a Telecommuting Arrangement
The steps below provide guidance on requesting a telecommuting arrangement and should be considered alongside divisional guidance and the information shared throughout this webpage.
Step 1: Review divisional guidance
Employees should first review telecommuting guidance shared by their division, as approaches may vary based on operational needs, service expectations, and the nature of the work.
Step 2: Discuss operational feasibility with your supervisor to determine whether a recurring schedule may be supportable
Employees interested in exploring whether telecommuting may be operationally appropriate should speak directly with their supervisor to discuss job responsibilities, service needs, team coordination, on-campus presence expectations, and whether the position can support a recurring telecommuting schedule.
Step 3: Discuss the proposed telecommuting arrangement and expectations
Employees and supervisors should discuss the proposed telecommuting schedule, expected on-campus workdays, communication practices, operational expectations, and other applicable guidance or best practices before completing the Telecommuting Agreement.
Step 4: Complete the Telecommuting Agreement
Complete the Request for Telecommuting Agreement and document the proposed schedule and required information.
Step 5: Obtain signatures and route to HR
Once a telecommuting arrangement is determined to be operationally feasible, the completed agreement should be signed by the employee and supervisor to confirm approval before being submitted to HR at [email protected] for processing and placement in the employee’s personnel file.
Telecommuting arrangements are not guaranteed and remain contingent upon operational feasibility, divisional expectations, performance, service needs, and ongoing operational priorities. Approved arrangements may be modified, paused, or discontinued as operational needs evolve.
Resources and Best Practices for Telecommuting Employees and Managers
Broad Guidelines and Expectations
For full program guidelines, please refer to the SSU Telecommuting Guidelines.
- A regular work schedule must be followed when telecommuting, with university policies regarding hours of work, meal periods, rest periods, overtime, and time reporting remaining applicable.
- Employees remain responsible for performing the full functions and responsibilities of their position while telecommuting.
- Telecommuting is not a substitute for dependent care or medical leave.
- University attendance and authorized absence policies continue to apply while telecommuting.
- Telecommuting arrangements are not intended to replace disability accommodations or family or medical leave protections. Employees requiring assistance in those areas should visit the Payroll and Benefit’s Leave of Absence website or contact [email protected].
- Telecommuting employees can be asked to return to campus for an operational reason such as an event, staffing needs, meeting, training or other university activities, or may have their telecommuting arrangements paused during seasonally significant periods on campus. Requests to return to campus should generally be provided with at least 48 hours notice when feasible, while significant changes to a telecommuting schedule require additional notice. Employees and managers should refer to the applicable Telecommuting Program document for specific provisions and expectations.
Effective telecommuting arrangements depend on communication, trust, accountability, and shared understanding between employees, supervisors, and teams.
Communication Best Practices
Clear team communication norms are essential in telecommuting arrangements to ensure that expectations are fully understood by all employees, whether telecommuting or working on site. Managers and teams should consider which norms are already in place, whether any remain unspoken, and where greater clarity or improvement may be needed.
Best practices include:
Define hours when all staff should be available, whether telecommuting or working on-site
- Provide guidance on which communication channels (email, chat, teams, phone, etc.) should be used in different situations
- Establish expected response timeframes for each communication channel
- Determine how breaks or periods of unavailability should be communicated
- Decide if cameras should be on or off in video meetings. If it can be situationally dependent, set clear expectations of when they should be on.
- Use tools available on work email and calendars to make work visible
- Post regular work hours and locations in your calendar or email signature
- Keep work calendar up to date, especially on telecommuting days
- Set focus time to indicate “heads down” work that requires concentration
- Update chat status to indicate location or availability
- Provide feedback: Transparent and timely feedback, helps employees learn, grow, and succeed. Employees are more likely to feel supported, connected, and less isolated from both their supervisor and the organization when they have regular access to their manager’s thoughts.
- Solicit feedback: Soliciting feedback helps employees better understand expectations, identify opportunities for growth, and make adjustments before small issues become larger problems. It also strengthens communication with a manager and supports stronger performance over time.
- Clarify goals and opportunities: Ask team members what they are focusing on to determine progress on goals and projects. Discover what achievements have been made, share updated information or priorities, and talk through possible conflicting priorities.
- Track workloads: Ask questions to better understand an individual’s workload, how they handle assignments, and determine progress made on existing projects.
Creating Effective Telecommuting Workspaces
Employees are responsible for maintaining a designated, organized and functional workspace that supports productivity while telecommuting. Employees should:
- Identify a workspace that allows for focused attention and supports the responsibilities of the position.
- Consider lighting, noise level, internet reliability, and other factors that may affect work performance or participation in meetings.
- Consider what additional supplies you may need to successfully fulfill the responsibilities of your role while telecommuting.
- Employees are responsible for maintaining their telecommuting workspace and internet connectivity.
The university will not incur expenses to provide additional devices, equipment, or technology upgrades for telecommuting employees.
Performance Management
Managers are encouraged to use outcome-based performance approaches that focus on work results and contributions rather than relying primarily on physical presence or line-of-sight management. Effective performance management includes:
- Establishing clear expectations
- Evaluating quality and timeliness of work
- Assessing communication and follow-through
- Reviewing achievement of goals and operational responsibilities
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Managers should expect to:
Establishing clear expectations for both individuals and teams as a whole is essential to promoting effective individual contributions and strong team collaboration. Managers should communicate clear goals, establish appropriate performance measures, and hold regular performance discussions.
Managers should embrace self-direction when employees have demonstrated sound judgment, accountability, and the ability to manage their work effectively. Supporting appropriate autonomy can strengthen engagement, build trust, and allow managers to focus less on oversight and more on results, development, and broader team needs.
Consider:
- Has the employee consistently followed through on responsibilities with limited oversight?
- Does the employee communicate clearly, raise concerns appropriately, and keep others informed about progress?
- Has the employee demonstrated good judgment in managing priorities, deadlines, and changing circumstances?
The success of a telecommuting arrangement depends in part on a supervisor’s readiness and ability to manage it effectively. Shared accountability is essential when performance concerns arise, and expectations must be actively managed and appropriately documented; this includes being prepared to revise or revoke a telecommuting arrangement if necessary.
Establish regular review intervals to evaluate the effectiveness of the telecommuting arrangement. These reviews should consider operational needs, service expectations, team coordination, and any concerns that may affect the continued success of the arrangement for the employee, department and/or broader campus community. If adjustments are needed, the terms of the telecommuting arrangement should be discussed and revised accordingly. As with any work arrangement, performance is most effectively assessed by evaluating outcomes, operational impact and results rather than monitoring activity alone.
While supervisors should consistently engage in feedback with all employees, it’s especially critical to the success of telecommuting arrangements. Feedback should be direct and offer examples of where the employee is exceeding, meeting, or failing to meet expectations. Strong communication between supervisors and employees is essential for successfully completing work and is especially necessary in a telecommuting work arrangement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Employees and managers are encouraged to first discuss telecommuting questions within their department or division, as operational approaches and expectations may vary across campus areas.
HR is available to help support employees and managers in navigating telecommuting questions, operational considerations, and applicable program requirements. For additional questions regarding telecommuting programs, agreements, processes, or university guidance, please contact Human Resources at [email protected].
CSUEU, APC and non-represented (MPP, C99, E99) employees may be considered for telecommuting arrangements. Approval depends on operational feasibility and divisional guidance.
Supervisors are responsible for determining whether a proposed telecommuting arrangement is operationally feasible and aligned with applicable telecommuting program requirements, divisional guidance, service expectations, and the operational needs of the department.
Additional divisional or administrative approvals are generally not required unless specified by the division or department. Human Resources does not independently approve or deny telecommuting arrangements, but reviews agreements for consistency with applicable university guidelines, program requirements, and alignment amongst like positions.
- Step 1: Review divisional guidance
- Step 2: Discuss operational feasibility with their supervisor
- Step 3: Discuss the proposed telecommuting arrangement and expectations
- Step 4: Complete the Request for Telecommuting Agreement
- Step 5: Obtain signatures and route to HR at [email protected]
No. Formal telecommuting agreements are generally intended for recurring hybrid schedules. Some divisions or departments may support occasional or intermittent remote work opportunities when operationally appropriate without requiring a recurring telecommuting agreement.
Operational feasibility refers to whether a telecommuting arrangement can effectively support student services, operational needs, team collaboration, and the responsibilities of the position. Considerations may include service levels, staffing needs, on-campus presence requirements, communication, supervision, and the nature of the work performed. Additionally, departments must maintain appropriate on-campus coverage during University business hours.
Operational needs may change over time. As a result, telecommuting arrangements may need to be modified, paused, or discontinued based on evolving circumstances.
Operational considerations may include:
- Student-facing responsibilities
- Need for in-person collaboration
- Event or meeting schedules
- Front counter/service coverage
- Team coordination
- Confidential or specialized work requirements
- Operational peak periods
- Staffing levels
- Supervision or training needs
- Cross-functional campus support responsibilities
Yes. Telecommuting employees can be asked to return to campus for operational needs such as events, staffing needs, meetings, training, or other university activities, or may have their telecommuting arrangements paused during significant periods of campus activity.
Requests to return to campus should generally be provided with at least 48 hours’ notice when feasible, while significant changes to a telecommuting schedule may require additional notice. Employees and managers should refer to the applicable Telecommuting Program and associated union agreements for specific provisions and expectations.
Yes. Telecommuting arrangements may need to be modified, paused, or discontinued based on changing operational needs, staffing considerations, performance concerns, service expectations, campus activities, or other operational priorities.
Managers and employees should maintain regular and ongoing communication regarding the continued feasibility, effectiveness, and operational impact of telecommuting arrangements. Employees and managers should also refer to the applicable Telecommuting Program and associated union agreements for specific provisions and notice requirements related to changes or discontinuation of telecommuting arrangements.
Telecommuting employees are expected to use university-supplied technology for their work and remain responsible for maintaining a workspace that supports productive work and complies with applicable health and safety expectations.
The university will not incur expenses to provide additional devices, furniture, equipment, or technology upgrades for telecommuting arrangements.
Telecommuting employees will continue to have access to SFBRN IT support consistent with support provided to all employees. The university will provide software required to perform job duties and maintenance of university-supplied equipment, including hardware upgrades and software installations.
Employees may be required to return to campus or bring university equipment on-site when in-person technical support, troubleshooting, maintenance, equipment replacement, or software installation is necessary.
Telecommuting approaches may differ across divisions, departments, and roles because operational needs, service expectations, staffing models, student interaction, and the nature of the work varies across the university. A telecommuting arrangement that is operationally feasible in one area may not be feasible in another.
While campus guidelines establish shared expectations and principles, divisions and departments are responsible for determining approaches that best support their operational responsibilities, service commitments, and the needs of the campus community.
Yes. Some divisions or departments may support occasional or intermittent remote work opportunities when operationally appropriate without establishing fixed or recurring telecommuting schedules. Approaches may vary based on operational needs, service models, staffing structures, and the nature of the work.
Yes. Managers and supervisors may be required to maintain a regular on-campus presence to support supervision, training, team coordination, service delivery, and operational continuity.