Chapter 14 - Home and mobile working

Appendix 1 - Guidance, contact and support for a line manager

As a line manager, you will find the guidance below useful when dealing with members of your team who are described as homeworking employees.

As such, it should be agreed from the outset the normal working hours during which the individual can be contacted and the methods in which the contact should be made i.e. over the telephone. It should not be expected that homeworkers are contactable at any time or at times where they have specified that they will not be available.
The method of homeworking can be combined with any other working pattern i.e. flexible working hours, shift hours, conditioned hours, part-time hours or compressed hours. Working patterns should be discussed by the individual and line manager before homeworking has commenced.
For line managers, regular progress meetings i.e. one to one, team meetings etc, can help to overcome some of the perceived difficulties in managing a permanent homeworking arrangement. These can play a key role in keeping the individual in touch with work as well as providing a way of maintaining contact, ensuring the homeworker feels part of the team/unit, and of exchanging general information.
The usual cycle of PAR review and staff appraisal will provide a framework for regular discussion of objectives, performance and learning and development needs. However, contact and discussion should not be limited to these occasions.

If the homeworker moves home and the circumstances remain the same i.e. they stay in the same role and team, the CPS should fund the cost of disconnecting and reconnecting equipment.
Homeworkers who commence Maternity/Adoption/Paternity leave will be entitled to the normal allowances appropriate to their pay.

The Working Time Regulations apply to homeworkers in the same way as for other staff. Line Managers should keep a note of the hours worked and ensure homeworkers do not generally exceed the CPS conditioned hours. Homeworkers should take the appropriate rest periods and breaks during a working day/night.
In relation to homeworkers working during the night (night workers), the CPS has a duty to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the limit on the average length of work is being complied with (8 hours in any 24 hour period over a 17 week reference period). In addition, the CPS will carry out health assessments for all night workers on an annual basis, using a self assessment health questionnaire from our medical advisors. A copy will be provided to night workers before they take up their post.