Flexible Work Program FAQs - Human Resources

The purpose of the flexible work program is designed to allow eligible employees to work either a portion or all of their normally scheduled work hours from an off-campus location or to work an alternate work schedule on campus. The Flexible Work Arrangement Suitability Assessment assists supervisors in thinking through relevant considerations in order to ensure effective remote work decisions. 

See the Flexible Work Program Policy for more information.

Employee Eligibility

Full-time and part-time, regular, non-represented and Administrative/Professional (A/P) employees who are able to work remotely or work an alternate schedule as established under federal law, state law, and University policies. An employee must have worked at NMU for at least one year as a regular employee (not just as a student or temporary employee) and have demonstrated effective performance in order to be considered for a flexible work arrangement.

Position Considerations

Each flexible work arrangement is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Characteristics of positions that may be considered suitable for flexible work include: 

• Jobs that entail working independently.

• Minimal interaction with internal and external contacts.

• Limited need for access to equipment and/or materials. 

Suitability for flexible work is determined through a collaborative process which considers multiple factors. For more information, please reference the Flexible Work Arrangement Suitability Assessment for Supervisors or the Flexible Work Arrangement Considerations Employee Guide.

Employees who possess the following skills are more likely to be successful in an FWA:

• Demonstrated time management and organizational skills.

• Successful performance history.

• Initiative and dependability.

• Tech-savvy skillset.

• Ability to work independently.

• Strong understanding of role and expectations. 

Suitability for flexible work is determined through a collaborative process which considers multiple factors. For more information, please reference the Flexible Work Arrangement Suitability Assessment for Supervisors or the Flexible Work Arrangement Considerations Employee Guide.

This policy does not apply to the following:

1. ADA medical accommodation requests. See Process for Requesting a Medical Accommodation.
2. Remote work that may be required as a result of state or federal mandates.
3. Approved ad-hoc work that may be done remotely as a result of quarantine requirements or other unplanned circumstances.
4. Positions/employees that are hired to work in a specific off-campus location (for example, Regional Admissions Counselors).

Ad-hoc requests - work that may be done remotely as a result of quarantine requirements or other unplanned circumstances - require supervisor approval and internal documentation but does not require a flexible work program agreement.

Denials cannot be appealed. However, supervisors are encouraged to discuss the reasons for denying a request with an employee, and employees are encouraged to share their perspectives with their supervisor. HR can also assist with these discussions.

Employees cannot use the approval for another employee as justification to approve their own request. Each request will be assessed on a variety of factors including the position, the employee’s performance and skills, and the specific operational and customer needs of the department. Supervisors have the authority to approve, postpone, modify or deny a flexible work arrangement.

The interested employee should initiate the discussion of a flexible work arrangement. Employees must complete a Flexible Work Program Request Form and discuss their interest with their immediate supervisor/manager, explaining the nature of the arrangement and the extent of the work that may be completed remotely. Flexible Work Arrangements include Alternate Work Schedules, Hybrid Work and 100% Remote Work. Supervisors have the authority to approve a flexible work arrangement, postpone consideration to another time, modify what has been proposed or to deny a flexible work arrangement. 

No. This policy is intended to cover alternate work hours and days which differ from standard business hours/days and which are not part of the employees communicated work shift. Work hours scheduled between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. are still considered standard and do not require approvals beyond that of your current supervisor. Examples of an alternate work schedule would be 12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m. or working four days a week if the department typically works five. An occasional adjustment of work hours is also not covered by the policy and can be worked out directly with your supervisor.

The Flexible Work Agreement (Agreement) documents the terms and conditions of the arrangement including the operating parameters and acknowledgments unique to the working arrangement. The agreement is submitted along with the Flexible Work Request Form which details the work schedule, work location and job duties. An Agreement is signed by the employee and their supervisor, department head, and NMU Human Resources.

Once the Flexible Work Agreement has been signed by the employee and the supervisor, the supervisor is responsible for submitting the Request Form and the Agreement to obtain all required approvals.

Yes. The Flexible Work Agreement documents necessary aspects of the arrangement and must be completed regardless of when approval was given. Employees should work with their supervisors to complete the Agreement.

Possibly. Temporary changes in location such as travel to a conference or a short duration change (within the state of Michigan) do not warrant a change in the agreement.

Regular recurring changes to the approved offsite location must be approved by the employee’s manager in advance, including how the employee will meet confidentiality and other requirements of this policy in the alternate location. (For example, if the employee plans to work at camp rather than at home). In this case, an addition/modification may need to be made to the current Flexible Work Agreement. Contact Human Resources to discuss.

Yes. A Flexible Work Request Form specifies an employee’s typical work schedule with an understanding that variations may occur. 

New or reinstated Flexible Work Agreements should begin with a 30-day trial period. At the end of the trial period, the supervisor/manager and employee should meet to evaluate whether the Agreement has been effective or needs revision, and to assess the employee's performance during the 30-day trial period. At that time, a decision will be made and communicated to Human Resources regarding whether to continue the Agreement.

All approved flexible work arrangements must have a signed Agreement in place and on file with the Human Resources Department. Agreements must be reviewed by the supervisor and employee at least every six months to determine whether the Agreement should continue and/or what, if any, changes to the Agreement should be made.

Each supervisor/manager retains the right to require the employee to return to the University work site or return to a standard work schedule should the work situation or the employee’s performance warrant such an action or the job duties/responsibilities change in a manner that would not allow continuation of the existing Agreement.

If there is a scheduling conflict, departmental requirements take precedence over the schedule specified in the Agreement. The supervisor/manager reserves the right to temporarily or permanently rescind the Agreement if there are changes in job responsibilities that might conflict with the Agreement or if there are job performance concerns.  Supervisors/managers will make every effort to provide reasonable advance notice if changes to the Agreement are needed.

The employee should discuss this with his or her supervisor. All employee-proposed changes to an existing agreement are subject to department and/or university approval. Employees who have been working 100% remotely might not have dedicated work space available to them. 

An established flexible work arrangement exists between the employee and supervisor within their current department and in their current position only. An employee who transfers to a different department needs to go through the flexible work request and approval process. A new Flexible Work Request Form and Agreement would need to be completed if approved. An employee who changes positions within the same department should consult with their supervisor and Human Resources to determine if/how the current Agreement needs to be modified.

The employee is required to maintain safe conditions in the work area and maintain adequate homeowners, renters, or commercial general liability insurance. If applicable, any work-related incidents or injuries should be reported in the normal manner. Incidents will be reviewed to determine if they are compensable under workers compensation.

No. All requests for disability accommodations are processed through the interactive process discussion involving the employee, supervisor, and a member of Human Resources. See Process for Requesting a Medical Accommodation for more information.

If the University closes and on-campus employees are not required to work, the remote worker (fully remote or hybrid) is also not required to work.

For Hybrid Workers: If the University is closed on a day that the employee would typically work remotely, the employee is not automatically entitled to work remotely on another day.

Employees must follow existing University policies for requesting and reporting approved leaves of absence, including annual leave, sick leave, FMLA and other leave categories.

For Hybrid Workers: If an employee has scheduled annual leave, personal leave or other planned leave time or if an employee is sick and unable to work on a day the employee would typically work remotely, the employee is not automatically entitled to work remotely on another day. An established, consistent work schedule is key to the success of the flexible work arrangement.

Please visit Human Resources website to learn more about the Flexible Work Program Policy. Questions can be directed to Renee Sheen at x2331 or Rhea Dever at x2333 in the Human Resources Department.

There are many factors to consider when exploring the possibility of remote/hybrid work. The Flexible Work Arrangement Suitability Assessment assists supervisors and department leaders in thinking through these factors.

It is essential that supervisors work with individual employees and consider the whole team objectively when evaluating flexible work arrangements. When possible, supervisors should consider a group of proposals together which ensures a process that is consistent and transparent.

It is essential that supervisors work with individual employees and consider the whole team objectively when evaluating flexible work arrangements. When possible, supervisors should consider a group of proposals together which ensures a process that is consistent and transparent. Supervisors should point to business reasons for considering or denying a flexible work arrangement.

Yes. Suitability for a flexible work arrangement is based on multiple factors. Characteristics of positions that may be considered suitable for remote work include:

• Jobs that entail working independently.
• Minimal interaction with internal and external contacts.
• Limited need for access to equipment and/or materials.

Suitability for flexible work is determined through a collaborative process which considers multiple factors. For more information, please reference the Flexible Work Arrangement Suitability Assessment for Supervisors or the Flexible Work Arrangement Considerations Employee Guide.

Employees and supervisors are encouraged to access resources on the Human Resources website to learn more about the Flexible Work Program. IT resources can be found on the Work from Anywhere Information Technology website.

Perhaps. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) status is not a determining factor for remote/hybrid work suitability; however, there are a number of additional considerations for non-exempt employees. Supervisors should work with Human Resources to discuss these issues.

Regardless of FLSA status, characteristics of positions that may be considered suitable for remote/hybrid work include:

• Jobs that entail working independently.
• Minimal interaction with internal and external contacts. 
• Limited need for access to equipment and/or materials. 

It may be helpful to remember that non-exempt employees, regardless of work location, must accurately track and record leave time through the official timekeeping system.

Modifications to an flexible work arrangement should be documented and initialed by the original signatories on the existing forms OR captured on a new Request Form and submitted with a newly signed Agreement.

If there is a desire to end a remote work arrangement early, an employee or a supervisor may begin the process. Each supervisor/manager retains the right to require the employee to return to the University work site or return to a standard work schedule should the work situation or the employee’s performance warrant such an action or the job duties/responsibilities change in a manner that would not allow continuation of the existing Agreement.

Yes, please review the Best Practices for Managing Flexible Arrangements guide. If you have specific questions please contact Renee Sheen at x2331 or Rhea Dever at x2333 of the Human Resources office.

Employees must maintain the confidentiality and security of University information, ensuring compliance with FERPA, HIPAA and all other relevant policies and federal and state regulations. This may require using headsets/earbuds and ensuring a completely private space for all university-related meetings and conversations. The Employee must comply with the policies and guidelines of proper use of information technology and any other University policies or guidelines, and must work with IT support to set up proper safeguards. Breaches of information confidentiality or security, whether intentional or unintentional, must be reported promptly.

Find technology support and best practice on the Work from Anywhere Information Technology website.

NMU recommends that all work be conducted on laptops issued by the university.

No. As part of the Agreement, the employee must verify that they have appropriate equipment, software and connectivity at their alternate work location to successfully complete their duties. NMU does not reimburse or provide additional funds to establish an off-site office, including funds for furniture, additional telephone lines, telephone use or utilities charges, Internet Service Provider charges, etc. NMU equipment is for university-related projects only.  NMU equipment may not be used for unlawful purposes or for work for other employers. Employees should not allow family members or others to use NMU equipment for other purposes.

The University will maintain equipment it has provided. NMU is not responsible for the temporary loss of remote work days due to equipment maintenance or repair. If the department has alternate equipment that may be used to maintain an employee’s ability to work remotely, the department may elect to provide it to the employee. If the employee is unable to work remotely due to equipment issues, they are expected to report to the office or obtain approved leave for time they are unable to work due to equipment or connectivity down-time.