(Temporary Arrangements due to COVID-19) August 20, 2020
The following guidelines are for those who have approved work at home arrangements with their Supervisor. We recognize that many of you may not have envisioned working from home in your current role with University College of the North, and certainly not for an extended period of time. Therefore, we have put together these “Working from Home Guidelines” for your reference during this temporary situation when you may be working from home.
Please note that all of UCN’s regular policies and procedures continue to apply, as well as the provisions of the Collective Agreement for bargaining unit members, including hours of work.
For Supervisors:
• Check the UCN COVID-19 page regularly for updates
• It is important to continue to communicate regularly with employees who are working from home.
• Work collaboratively to establish daily work assignments (employees are to document work assignments and report progress regularly). It may help to establish daily check-ins with employees to provide direction and to monitor work progress (including setting daily/weekly goals) – whatever works best for your individual employees or team.
• Employees may request to take their office chair or other UCN property home during any work from home period. Please keep a record of what equipment/furniture each employee has moved to their home.
• Use technology for employees to work collaboratively through work assignments (i.e. email message, phone calls, text messaging, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.).
• Hold regular video meetings through Microsoft Teams as needed to ensure everyone stays connected and has the necessary information and support to complete tasks.
• Support employees’ flexibility around work life balance through alternate work hours if the need arises, and where this is reasonable for the particular role.
• If employees are sick, or require other personal leave, they are to advise you and use appropriate leave to support their health and personal life, as is always the case. Please check with leavetime@ucn.ca if you have any questions about leave provisions.
• Ensure employees are using properly secure UCN equipment to store and share electronic information.
• Be sure to check-in with employees to ensure they are handling the stress of the situation appropriately, and offer resources and counselling services as required.
• If employees ask you about whether UCN will be issuing T2200 tax forms, please notify them that at this time, based on the advice from professional tax and legal services, T2200s will not be issued by UCN for employees who are temporarily working from home.
If you have any questions please email communications@ucn.ca
Some employees may have higher than usual concerns and stressors during these unprecedented times. As a Supervisor, you may hear from your employees who may be seeking assistance in this regard. Please refer to the information below:
Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) – this is a voluntary and confidential service
Employees are encouraged to contact the EFAP as follows: (Winnipeg) 204-945-5786 (Toll Free) 1-866-669-4916 Email: efap@gov.mb.ca
There are many resources available in our communities, and on-line. A number of resources have been reviewed, and the following list provides some very useful information to assist you and your employees:
For Employees:
• Check the UCN COVID-19 page regularly for updates.
• It is important to continue to communicate on a regular basis with your Supervisor.
• Establish daily work assignments (document work assignments and report progress regularly). Your supervisor may work with you to set daily/weekly goals.
• Use technology to work collaboratively through work assignments (i.e. email messages, phone calls, text messaging, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.). Prepare as though you are attending the office at your regular work schedule – a meeting may be called at any time through the day, and you may not want to be on video through Microsoft Teams in your pjs!
• Choose a dedicated workspace and set it up like your office to the extent possible. Employees may request to take their office chair or other UCN property home during any work from home period.
• If you are sick, please use appropriate sick leave to support your well-being. If you do not have sick leave accrued, you may have the option when requesting leave to use other types of paid leave (if available) to cover the period of absence. Otherwise, as is the case currently, leave without pay is to be submitted on the leave form.
• Ensure you are using properly secure UCN equipment to store electronic information.
• The same as when you are at the office, you are not to use regular work hours to attend to personal responsibilities (eg. shopping, personal appointments, gym, laundry, etc.) or spend time on social media (other than during specific break times). Of course many external activities are curtailed due to COVID-19; however, it is important to keep in mind that if personal time is required, you are to work with your supervisor to receive approval (i.e. vacation, family related leave, OT, etc.) through the regular leave request process.
• Please ensure you are available for meetings or phone calls during your regular working hours as required. Employees may be called back to UCN on short notice if the need arises.
• As you normally would if you are working at a UCN location, check your email and work phone number(s) on a regular basis.
• At this time, based on the advice from professional tax and legal services, T2200s will not be issued by UCN for employees who are temporarily working from home.
If you have any questions please email communications@ucn.ca
Some employees may have higher than usual concerns and stressors during these unprecedented times.
Please be reminded of the counselling services available to UCN employees:
Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) – this is a voluntary and confidential service
Employees are encouraged to contact the EFAP as follows: (Winnipeg) 204-945-5786 (Toll Free) 1-866-669-4916 Email: efap@gov.mb.ca
