This policy permits the OPLIN Director to designate eligible employees who manage OPLIN services to work at alternate work locations for all or part of their work week in order to promote general work efficiencies that provide a benefit to OPLIN. Teleworking is not an employee benefit, but an alternate method of meeting the needs of OPLIN. Teleworking is a privilege; therefore OPLIN has the right to reasonably refuse to make teleworking available to any employee and the right to terminate a teleworking arrangement at any time.
OPLIN staff members are all exempt, unclassified employees within the classification Administrative Staff - #99580.
OPLIN is governed by an eleven-member Board of Trustees, appointed by the State Library Board (O.R.C. 3375.65). OPLIN offers Ohio residents fast, free access to the Internet through Ohio's local public libraries, as well as the use of high-quality research databases. The staff of OPLIN provides electronic and in-person technical support to local public library systems. Most of the customer support OPLIN provides is achieved through e-mail and phone contact. Additionally, OPLIN staff will provide on-site technical support, guidance and training for local library staffs.
OPLIN Director has sole discretion to:
A teleworker's duties, obligations, responsibilities, and conditions of employment with OPLIN will be unaffected by the teleworking arrangement. Teleworking assignments do not change the conditions of employment or required compliance with OPLIN policies, rules and procedures. Compliance with State of Ohio laws, rules, and policies is not impacted by an employee's teleworking status. OPLIN ultimately has the authority to determine whether a specific job may be performed effectively from an alternate work location and whether an employee can be effective working from the alternate work location.
Teleworking is not intended to serve as a substitute for child or adult care. If children or adults in need of primary care are in the alternate work location during the employee's work hours, some other individual must be present to provide the care.
An employee's compensation and benefits will not change as a result of teleworking.
The total number of hours that an employee is expected to work will not change, regardless of work location. Generally, these hours will be 8:00AM to 5:00PM Monday through Friday, with a one-hour break for lunch. The teleworking employee must document hours worked as required by OPLIN procedure and policy.
The OPLIN Director shall require the employee to report to the central workplace as needed for work-related meetings or any other events deemed necessary by the OPLIN Director.
While at their alternate work location, the employee shall:
Normally, the state will provide equipment and materials needed by employees to effectively perform their duties while at the alternate work location. At a minimum, the employee shall be provided a portable computing device and a telephony device dedicated to work use; however, the employee may be authorized to use her/his own equipment as authorized by both agency and statewide information technology policies. State-owned equipment may be used only for legitimate state purposes by the authorized employee and only in compliance with applicable state and agency policy. The employee is responsible for protecting state-owned equipment and data from theft, damage and unauthorized use, in accordance with the OPLIN "Information Technology Security Management" policy as well as any other applicable statewide policy. State-owned equipment used in the normal course of employment will be maintained, serviced and repaired by the state. When the employee is authorized to use her/his own equipment, the state will not assume responsibility for the cost of equipment, repair, or service.
The employee shall designate a workspace within the alternate work location. The employee shall maintain this workspace in a safe condition, free from hazards and other dangers to employee and equipment. The employee's supervisor or management at OPLIN will have the authority to view the alternate work site prior to teleworking beginning to ensure the space is compliant with this policy. After teleworking has begun, a teleworker's supervisor may go to the alternate work location during the employee's normal work hours without notice to the employee.
Teleworking is not intended to be used in place of sick leave, Family and Medical Leave, Workers' Compensation leave, or other types of leave. The OPLIN Director may determine whether or not it is appropriate to offer teleworking as an opportunity for partial or full return to work based on OPLIN policy and the criteria normally applied to decisions regarding the approval of teleworking.
OPLIN may be liable for job-related injuries or illnesses to the extent applicable under the State of Ohio's Workers' Compensation laws that occur during the employee's established work hours in their alternate work locations. This liability is limited to injuries resulting directly from work and only if the injury occurs in the designated work location. Any claims will be handled according to the normal procedure for Worker's Compensation claims.
OPLIN assumes no liability for injuries occurring in the employee's home outside the agreed upon work hours. OPLIN is not liable for loss, destruction, or injury that may occur in or to the employee's home. This includes family members, visitors, or others that may become injured within or around the employee's home.
The teleworker, not the OPLIN, shall be responsible for the teleworker's own damages and non-compensable injuries, and for any third party's damages and injuries resulting from the teleworkers failure to comply with all safety and health regulations and any violation of the OPLIN teleworking policy.
OPLIN is not obligated to assume responsibility for operating costs, home maintenance, or other costs incurred by an employee in the use of their home as a teleworking alternate work location. OPLIN may provide a telephone to the employee for business use. If a telephone is not provided, OPLIN may reimburse the employee for business-related long distance calls made from a personal telephone.
The employee must safeguard OPLIN information used or accessed while teleworking. The OPLIN Director must grant permission according to OPLIN procedures for the employee to work on restricted-access information or materials at an alternate work location. The employee must agree to follow the OPLIN "Information Technology Security Management" policy in order to ensure confidentiality and security of data.
Teleworking will be for a fixed period of time, as determined by the Director for each teleworking employee, and continuance shall be subject to satisfactory review upon reaching the end of the fixed period of time.
Work shall be assigned to the employee in the same manner as those who are not teleworking and shall be completed according to agency policies and procedures. During the initial phases of teleworking a weekly schedule of duties, expectations and outcomes will be established and measured.
Adopted February 8, 2008; revised February 13, 2015