Chapter 14 - Home and mobile working
Appendices
- Guidance, contact and support for a line manager |
- Display screen equipment self assessment checklist (not currently available)
- The CPS operates in an environment subject to constant change. It is therefore recognised that the CPS and its employees need to be more flexible when working in the business. As such, the Home and Mobile Working policy deals with any requirement to work (and need access to IT services) whilst an employee is away from their main 'base' or location.
- These requirements include mobile working and homeworking. These methods can be combined with any other working pattern such as part-time working or flexible working hours.
- Mobile working is specifically concerned with network access whilst on the move or not at a base site. This includes other CPS sites, trains, cars and hotels etc.
- Homeworking consists of occasional homeworking or permanent homeworking.
- Occasional homeworking is when employees work from home on a part-time basis using officially supplied equipment to complete agreed pieces of work or to manage a short-term domestic situation. Occasional homeworking is a benefit given at line manager's discretion and is not contractually bound or guaranteed and can therefore be withdrawn at anytime.
- Permanent homeworking is when employees work from home on a permanent basis, their home therefore being their 'base'. Permanent homeworkers use officially supplied equipment to carry out their duties.
- There is no entitlement to either occasional or permanent homeworking. Requests for this pattern of work will be considered against the criteria detailed in this policy. It will not be guaranteed as a permanent change in employment status, unless agreed by the CPS and individual from the outset, pending the outcome of the trial period. Requests to undertake homeworking made under the Flexible Working Parents Legislation will be considered in accordance with the appropriate legislation and flexible working policy.
- When applying for mobile working, occasional homeworking or permanent homeworking, a number of criteria will be considered, including suitability of the post and individual, IT, security and Health and Safety aspects.
- All requests for occasional homeworking or permanent homeworking should be made in the first instance to line management who must consider the operational needs of the CPS and the suitability of the individual and the work to be carried out.
- Line management will discuss the occasional or permanent homeworking request with the Business Manager or HQ Director.
- All employees are eligible for consideration for home working on an occasional and permanent basis. Line managers have the responsibility to assess whether the work and the individual are suitable for occasional home working, therefore this pattern of work should be discussed before agreed.
- In deciding whether the request for homeworking is viable the Line Manager, Business Manager or HR Director should address the following points about the job with the individual:
- Does the nature of the employee's work make it suitable for homeworking?
- Can the work be measured by defined objective, milestones and outputs?
- Does the work require high levels of concentration?
- Are there any issues with security?
- What will the effect of homeworking be on the provision of service either from the individual employee or from the team?
- Does the job require regular reference to centrally held documents which cannot be removed?
- What will be the likely impact of working in an isolated environment, with reduced contact with other colleagues, on the employee's work, or the work of other employee's?
- Can the size and experience of the rest of the team accommodate a homeworking colleague?
- How much time will the employee still need to spend in one of the CPS offices?
- Whether homeworking will be successful will depend as much on the individual and their personal skills and attributes as on the type of work involved. Employees will be working in greater isolation away from colleagues and the office environment, it is therefore important that employees have the skills to adapt to a different working culture, these skills include:
- Self-motivation;
- Ability to work without close supervision;
- Ability to cope with minimal social contact and support from work;
- Possession of good time management skills;
- Ability to provide suitable space to work at home and to make available the necessary workspace for storage and equipment, etc; and
- Ability to demonstrate initiative and flexibility.
- Employees will not be moved to a homeworking arrangement except at their request, with their agreement unless homeworking is a requirement of the post to which they were recruited. Employees cannot claim an automatic right to work from home.
- Before permanent homeworking can be approved, the line manager, Business Manager or HQ Director will need to:
- Arrange for a home risk assessment to be completed by a trained home risk assessor of the home workers environment ensuring that arrangements comply with the Departmental Policies on Health and Safety, Data Protection Act and Departmental policy on Security and health and safety;
- discuss and agree the work expected to be completed at home;
- agree targets and objectives for the work being carried out;
- ensure that the employee working away from the discipline of the office is aware they are still subject to the Working Time Regulations; and
- Ensure that home working is not being requested as an alternative work pattern to enable employees to look after dependants during the agreed working hours.
- If an employee requests permanent homeworking, a three month trial period will be initiated to enable both the homeworker and their line manager to assess how effectively the arrangement will work. This should be agreed before the arrangement starts.
- Whilst working from home on an occasional or permanent basis, current terms and conditions of employment will remain as set out in the employee's contract of employment. Employees need to be aware that this benefit may be withdrawn at any time in line with the business needs and dependent on the employee's continuing satisfactory performance, attendance and conduct.
- If a permanent home worker wishes to alter their flexible working pattern, or alternative working arrangements this should be discussed with line management and the ABM/Business Manager. The CPS will endeavour to meet the employee's needs, however this will be subject to operational and policy requirements.
- Pay and recruitment and retention allowance (if applicable) for mobile workers and home workers will, in the majority of instances, remain unchanged. However, if the employee has gained a promotion their pay will be amended to reflect this.
- Employees who undertake homeworking are eligible for pay awards in the usual way.
- As for any employee, homeworkers, whether permanent or occasional, must inform their line manager of any period of annual and sick leave and follow the standard procedure for recording such absences.
- In the event of performance, attendance or conduct matters arising, the usual procedures to tackle the problem must be followed by the line manager.
- Reimbursement of any expenses related to home working will only be made to those individuals with contracts identifying them as permanent homeworkers in accordance with the relevant polices.
- Employees are generally responsible for meeting their own expenses when travelling from home to and from the office and this applies equally to occasional and permanent homeworkers for the occasions when they travel into the local/nearest office for meetings. Expenses for official business journeys should be paid under the usual travel and subsistence arrangements.
- The CPS will be responsible for costs associated with the setting up of the home office for permanent homeworkers (supplying furniture, IT, installing additional telephone lines etc).
- In addition a monthly payment will be made to permanent homeworkers, for wear and tear on the individual's home, which also includes any additional heating and lighting costs related to home working. The current rate agreed is consistent with current HM Revenue and Customs guidelines. This will be a lump sum payment and will be paid pro rata if less than a year is spent working at home permanently.
- Homeworkers are also required to:
- Inform their insurance company to establish if they are covered in the event of, for example a fire caused by CPS equipment.
- Inform their mortgage lender to ensure they are not subject to terms and conditions that may prevent you from working at home.
- Inform their Landlord or Freeholder to ensure that the terms of the lease allow them to work from home.
- Inform the Council Tax authorities to ensure that the homeworker is not liable for any additional costs.
- Allow contractors into their home to install any necessary equipment (additional telephone line etc).
- Employees undertaking occasional homeworking will generally retain their existing mobility status.
- For permanent homeworkers, the CPS has a responsibility for issuing the appropriate information technology to enable the employee to undertake their role. This may include additional telephone lines, computer terminal, and fax/printer.
- Due to the need to maintain security, employees will not be able to use any existing personal IT equipment currently in the home. The CPS will not be responsible for maintenance or replacement of personal equipment.
- All officially supplied equipment is for official use only and should only be used by the employee to whom it is supplied.
- All officially supplied equipment must be kept safe and secure. All software provided must be taken care of in order to prevent unnecessary accidents.
- Only officially supplied software provided should be used. Personally owned, free or illegal software must not be loaded into officially owned portable equipment.
- Home workers are responsible for electrical sockets and other parts of domestic electrical system. The CPS is responsible for electrical equipment supplied to the employee. There will be occasions when additional electrical sockets will be required to support the CPS equipment. The CPS would need to fund installation.
- The homeworker should take all reasonable care of the equipment provided and report any loss or damage to the police if it results from criminal action and to the Business Manager or HQ Director concerned. Where there is evidence of a failure to take reasonable care of official property disciplinary action may be taken.
- Confidentiality needs to be maintained at all times and therefore employees will need to ensure that important documents and any departmental work equipment are securely locked away out of sight of visitors and children.
- The CPS also recognises that the personal security of the home worker should also be taken into consideration. To ensure this, employees private address and telephone number will not be circulated other than for the delivery of equipment etc or (with the employee's consent) to colleagues.
- When undertaking mobile working, employees are asked to have a high level of vigilance when working on protectively marked assets. In particular, accidental loss, overlooking or eavesdropping are the greatest risks to employees they are required to work remotely on protectively marked assets e.g. whilst travelling. Mobile employees are often at locations offering even less privacy than at home and it is essential that a high level of vigilance is maintained.
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, its statutory provisions and all other statutory duties, places duties on employers and employees. Under the Act employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees including CPS employees who work from home.
- Employees must take all reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of anyone else who may be affected by their acts or omissions. Homeworkers must cooperate with the CPS as necessary in order to comply with these statutory obligations and ensure that neither they nor anyone else in the home deliberately interferes with or misuses anything which is provided in the interest of health and safety.
- For those undertaking homeworking, the CPS does not have a duty to maintain the place of work or the means of access in a condition that is safe and without risks to health. However the CPS will want to be satisfied that the homeworker has a suitable room or area to work in. As the CPS has no control over the homeworker's home, the responsibility for maintaining the safety of the working area rests with the homeworker.
- As for any employee, occasional and permanent homeworkers must inform their line manager of all reportable injuries or diseases related to work. All work related accidents should also be reported to the line manager who should ensure an accident report form is completed (please see the Health and Safety Manual, Section 4, for further information). Also, if a homeworker become involved in an incident (verbal abuse) during the course of their work, a Personal Incident Report form should be completed (please see Health and Safety manual Section 5 for further information).
- The CPS as far as reasonably practical, has a duty to look at what has a potential to cause harm to homeworkers, or to other people (for example children, partners and pets), resulting from CPS work being done in the employee's home. The CPS will arrange for a home visit to the permanent homeworker's home to undertake a risk assessment, this must be undertaken by a trained home risk assessor. This will ensure that the property is considered acceptable for home working and any of the employee's own equipment that they may wish to use (e.g. office furniture) is deemed suitable and sufficient.
- The trained home risk assessor must discuss and complete the risk assessment form with the employee. There may be occasions when the assessor will need to take the assessment away for further clarification (e.g. with the Departmental Security Officer) before a decision on acceptability can be reached.
- If IT equipment is to be used employees will be required to complete a Display Screen Equipment Self Assessment Checklist (Appendix 1). Its aim is to establish whether the workstation at home meets the minimum requirements and considers topics including space, lighting, noise, temperature and display screens. The completed Display Screen Equipment Self Assessment Checklist should be sent via e-mail or fax to the relevant home risk assessor. Line managers are responsible for ensuring this takes place. The home risk assessor will check the completed form to see whether any further remedial control measures are required, this could involve a secondary visit to an employee's home.
- Any home working arrangement must meet with the Data Protection and Security requirements i.e. electronic information must be kept secure and unauthorised and accidental access to information must be prevented, as well as alteration, disclosure or loss of that information.
- Home working may be refused or withdrawn on the grounds of:
- Budgetary considerations;
- Suitability of accommodation being offered (change of address by employee);
- Health and safety concerns;
- Insufficient administration support in the CPS office;
- Performance and Conduct issues; and
- Security.
- Withdrawal of both permanent and occasional home working will only occur after discussions with the Line manager, Business Manager or HQ Director, with a view to securing an agreement. The CPS will, where possible, give the employee a three-month notice period of the change in work base after the discussion(s) have taken place. Where circumstances dictate that home base working must come to an end sooner, e.g. for health & safety reasons, the notice period given may be less than three months.
- Any request to change to office based working by the homeworker is likely to arise through a change in personal or domestic circumstances. The Line Manager will discuss and agree timescales for any change directly with the employee subject to office space availability within CPS. The CPS will not oppose such a request provided that office accommodation is available.
- Any equipment provided will remain official property and must be returned if and when the homeworking arrangement ends.
Introduction
Principles
Is homeworking appropriate?
Procedures
Terms and conditions of employment
Expenses
Mobility
Equipment and software
Security
Health and safety
Risk assessment
Data Protection
Withdrawal of homeworking
Please note. This list is not exhaustive as each case will be looked at on its merits.
Leaving the CPS
Back to Staff absence and welfare, including annual, special and sickness leave index
