Flexible Work

Remote work is a work arrangement in which some or all the employee's work is performed from home or another alternative worksite location. Employees may be permitted to work remotely if their job duties can be performed without disrupting University and unit operations and they have appropriate University approval as documented on the Staff Flexible Work Policy Agreement

The policy applies to all regular full-time and part-time staff working at Saint Louis University who are not specifically excluded from the policy hereinafter. This policy does not apply to faculty, employees in a collective bargaining agreement unit, housestaff and employees on the Madrid campus.

Generally, the following conditions must be met to approve an employee for remote work:

• The employee has no active formal disciplinary actions on file for the current or immediately preceding review period.
• The employee has a demonstrated ability to work productively on his/her own and is self-motivated and flexible.
• The employee received at least a "Meets Expectations" evaluation in the previous performance evaluation cycle.
• The employee has provided confirmation that the alternate work location is in a location that has the space and electrical/utility access necessary for the job requirements and meets University suggested guidelines related to workspaces. (Additional information is provided below.)
• The remote work eligibility decision is evaluated on appropriate, fair, consistent and equitable factors.

Any regular recurring flexible work arrangements must be documented in the Staff Flexible Work Agreement, which establishes the specific conditions that apply to the employee working under any flexible work arrangement. The agreement must be completed and signed by the employee, the employee's supervisor, and the applicable dean or vice president prior to the employee beginning a flexible work arrangement. All agreements are subject to review at 30, 60 and 90 days.

Download the Staff Flexible Work Agreement 

Yes, if an employee is approved to work a flexible work arrangement on a regular recurring basis, a Staff Flexible Work Policy Agreement (PDF) form should be completed to document the approved flexible work schedule and signed by your supervisor and department head. A copy should be emailed to hr@slu.edu to maintain a copy in your Workday file.

Guidance For Evaluating Staff Flexible Work Arrangement Opportunities has been developed to assist supervisors in determining if your role is suitable for a flexible work arrangement. If your supervisor determines that your role is suitable for flexible work arrangement and you reach agreement on a flexible schedule, your supervisor will take your request to their leadership for approval. The Division of Academic Affairs /Office of the Provost has developed its own guidelines that supervisors and unit leaders must follow to process requests in academic and administrative units that report up to the Provost.

No. An employee's performance expectations remain the same in any flexible work arrangement (whether it entails remote work, a flexible schedule or both) as the expectations would be if working a standard work schedule on campus. Employees allowed to work under a flexible work arrangement are expected to perform the same duties, obligations, and responsibilities as any other employee. All remote working employees perform the same work that they would on-site. An employee's classification, compensation, and benefits will not change on the basis that the employee is approved for remote work.

Flexible work schedules allow an employee and department to establish agreed-upon modifications to regularly scheduled work hours in a way that meets both the operational needs of a department and the personal needs of the employee. A flexible work schedule may be applicable for on-campus and remote work..

In the event of a University closure due to an emergency or inclement weather, employees approved for remote work arrangements will be expected to work at the remote site. In the event the employee wishes to use paid time off in such an instance, the employee should follow the University's standard procedures for requesting a vacation day..

Supervisors and leaders are charged with making determinations as to whether a flexible work arrangement best supports the work of the University and the unit. Leaders have visibility to all of the potential impacts of a flexible work arrangement and are best positioned to make these determinations. For that reason, these leaders make the final decision on flexible work arrangements requests and there is no appeal process.

No, it is not necessary to contact HR if traveling to another state to attend a meeting or conference for a few days.  You do not need permission to check emails or conduct other University business while in another state.

It is necessary to seek guidance from Human Resources when requesting to work remotely in another state outside of Missouri and Illinois because there are tax implications when working in other states, even if for a short period of time.

In the event of a University closure due to an emergency or inclement weather, employees approved for remote work arrangements will be expected to work at the remote site. In the event the employee wishes to use paid time off in such an instance, the employee should follow the University’s standard procedures for requesting a vacation day. 

An employee may terminate their Staff Flexible Work Agreement at any time unless it was a condition of employment or is in response to an ongoing emergency. Employees who terminate their flexible work arrangement will be subject to returning to their regular full-time or part-time schedule within the department as determined by their supervisor.

The supervisor, in consultation with their leadership, may modify or terminate a Staff Flexible Work Policy Agreement before the end of the specified term for performance concerns, changing operational needs or any other business-related reasons. Reasonable notice should be given in the event the Agreement is to be terminated. 

Occasional, intermittent, infrequent remote work arrangements are permitted under this policy. Such arrangements require supervisor approval but do not require completion of a Staff Flexible Work Policy Agreement.

If the employee’s role allows them to work remotely, University-owned portable technology may be provided to them. Only one University-owned computer will be issued. The employee is responsible for transporting the computer between their remote work location and campus, as needed. Other non-employees in the employee’s household should not be permitted to use University equipment. Any equipment that will be used for remote work must be identified on the Staff Flexible Work Policy Agreement.

Except in limited circumstances and where required by law, the University will not be responsible for costs associated with initial set-up of the employee’s home office, or any other expenses incurred to accommodate their remote work, including expenses for high-speed internet installation and monthly fees, furniture, or lighting or for repairs or modifications to the home office space