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WORKING FROM HOME POLICY

Statement and purpose of policy

1.  (the Employer) supports working from home for all staff and will agree to an employee working from home in appropriate circumstances,. 
2. In certain circumstances, occasional or permanent working from home allows the Employer to accommodate a disability and can be requested as flexible working.
3. This policy sets out how requests for working from home can be made, how such requests are dealt with and the conditions on which working from home will be approved. 
4. The Employer may amend this policy at any time, at our absolute discretion. 

What does this policy cover?

1. This policy and the rules contained within it apply to all employees, irrespective of seniority, tenure and working hours, including all directors and officers, casual or agency staff, trainees, interns, fixed-term staff and volunteers. 

Requests to work from home

1. You can make an application to work from home. Any such application will be considered on its merits. However, note that not all jobs or roles are suitable to work from home.
2. A request to work from home is unlikely to be approved if:

   1. you need to be present in the office to perform your role (e.g. because it involves specialised equipment only available in the office);

   2. you require supervision to deliver an acceptable quantity or quality of work;

   3. your current standard of work or your performance, as indicated by your line manager or most recent performance review, is unsatisfactory; or

   4. you have an unexpired warning relating to conduct of performance.

3. When applying to work from home, you will need to show that you can:
   1. effectively manage your workload, meeting work deadlines
   2. work independently, motivating yourself and relying on your own initiative; and
   3. adapt to new working practices when working from home, including maintaining contact with colleagues and managers.

Response to working from home application

1. If the Employer refuser your request to work from home, you will be given a written response stating the reasons for refusal. If you are unhappy with our decision, you may appeal.
2. If the Employer accepts your application to work from home, this will be recorded in writing. Any such acceptance may be subject to a trial period.
3. Any agreement regarding your working from home, will include the following terms:
   1. While working from home, you will continue to be subject to the same performance measures, objectives and processes as when you were working on the business premises.
   2. Your line manager will continue to supervise you, taking steps to address and rectify any problems. Your line manager will also ensure that you are up to date with information relevant to your work. 
   3. You agree to attend the business premises or other reasonable location for training courses, important meetings or other events which you are expected to attend in person.
   4. You acknowledge that when you attend the business premises, you may have to share a desk or hot desk.

Hours of work

2. Please make sure that you take adequate rest breaks throughout the day, as set out in your employment contract.
3. In the event that you need to change your hours of work (e.g. to deal with the potentially conflicting demands of work and looking after children), please discuss any changes you need to your working schedule with your line manager.

Communicating with your line manager

1. Make sure you keep in regular contact with your line manager and notify them if you are unsure about what you are required to do.
2. You should consider all lines of communication, including email, telephone and video calls to ensure relationships are maintained and work continues. 

Equipment and materials

Expenses

1. You will be responsible for any other associated costs of you working from home, including the costs of heating, lighting, electricity and printing.

Security

1. You are responsible for ensuring the security of all equipment, documents and information and must take all necessary steps to ensure that confidential information is kept secure at all times. In particular, you must:
   1. password protect any confidential information held on your home computer;
   2. lock your computer whenever it is left unattended;
   3. store confidential papers securely when they are not in use;
   4. ensure the secure disposal of any confidential papers (e.g. by using a shredder if there is one available); and
   5. report any data security breaches to your line manager immediately.

Health and safety

1. When working from home, you must take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of anyone else in the home who is affected by your work while working from home.
2. You should follow all health and safety instructions issued by the Employer's from time to time, including attending any health and safety training. 
3. Liaise with your line manager to make sure that your workstation is appropriate and that you are working in a safe manner.
4. There are steps you can take to make sure you achieve a comfortable posture while working from home on display screen equipment (DSE). Please watch the video from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on workstation set-up at www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/home.htm. 
5. While working with DSE, please also observe these guidelines:
   1. Break up long spells of DSE work with rest breaks (at least five minutes every hour) or changes in activity.
   2. Avoid awkward, static postures by regularly changing your position.
   3. Get up and move around or do stretching exercises.
   4. Avoid eye fatigue by changing focus or blinking from time to time.
6. Notify your line manager and the HR department if you identify any work-related health and safety concerns or hazards while working from home. 
7. You should follow the usual reporting procedures for any work-related accidents that occur in your home.
8. For health and safety purposes, the Employer retains the right to inspect and check your home office. The need for such inspections will depend on your specific circumstances, including the nature of your work.

Insurance

1. You acknowledge and understand that working from home may affect your home and contents insurance.
2. You should check with your home and contents insurance providers that they have adequate cover for the fact that you work from home and whether any of your own equipment is covered for work use.

Rental or mortgage arrangements

1. You acknowledge and understand that working from home may affect your mortgage, lease or tenancy agreement. 
2. You are responsible for checking any applicable mortgage or rental agreement to ensure that you can work from home. If permission is necessary, you must make all necessary arrangements with your bank, mortgage provider or landlord before commencing to work from home. 

Termination of working from home arrangement

1. The Employer reserve the right to bring your working from home arrangement to an end (e.g. if your role changes and working from home is no longer suitable), by providing you with  notice.
2. If you wish to terminate your working from home arrangement, you should first notify your line manager. The Employer will only be able to accept the termination if there is sufficient space available for you to return to work on the business premises.

Attribution

1. This working from home policy was created using a document from Rocket Lawyer (https://www.rocketlawyer.com/gb/en).