FlexWork is the new term introduced to describe work arrangements that differ from traditional 8-hour, on-site workdays, five days per week. FlexWork includes remote work arrangements, hybrid work arrangements with a combination of remote and on-site workdays and alternate work schedules. All FlexWork arrangements require written agreements between the employee and their department. Links to the FlexWork Guide for UCLA Managers and FlexWork Agreement are below. Please be sure to refer to the Guide for more information on FlexWork.
Our experience during the COVID-19 pandemic has provided insights about ways that service and support roles can be performed successfully from a remote location. Many of these FlexWork arrangements will continue in that manner when possible and practical, and when consistent with job duties and operational needs. More guidance on long-term planning for on-site staffing will be offered soon in the final report of the Working Group on Reinventing the UCLA Workplace of the Future. Meanwhile, academic classes will return primarily to in-person instruction in the fall and nearly all students will again be living in university housing or in residences nearby. Faculty and staff should be prepared to return to work on campus to the extent it is necessary to maintain our high standards for instruction, extracurricular activities, student support services, residential life, research and patient care.
This decision is up to individual departments and managers based on each position’s essential job functions. However, employees working off site may need to occasionally be on site to attend in-person meetings, respond to emergencies or perform other tasks.
• Remote Work Guidelines and Policies
Many employees will have hybrid work arrangements (a combination of remote and on site work.) To support lower densities in campus buildings and ensure sufficient parking capacity, managers and supervisors should schedule employees so that the number of people on site is relatively consistent across days of the week. One option for achieving this is to alternate on-site workdays for employees performing similar functions. When working remotely, employees will be required to use electronic tools for timekeeping.
• Smoothed Remote Work Schedule Example
• Remote Work at UCLA: Guidance and Resources
As more employees return to in-person work, meetings will likely need to be held in a hybrid format. Some participants may utilize a conference room together, while others may participate via video conferencing. As such, departmental administrators should ensure that conference rooms are set up to allow meaningful participation for all attendees. For example, video cameras should be positioned to show all on-site participants and microphones should pick up all voices within the on-site room.
For employees working remotely three or more days each week on average departments are responsible for providing a computer, laptop or tablet for use while working remotely. The employee is responsible for providing the appropriate internet and telephone connectivity necessary to work effectively while working remotely. In addition, remote employees and those working three or more days per week off site through a hybrid work arrangement (a combination of remote and on site work) are eligible for an ergonomic furniture allowance to procure appropriate home office furniture, like a height adjustable desk and chair. These items will be university property and managed by the employee’s department.
Research labs are permitted to resume in-person activities without limitations on who is working in the lab, provided that lab personnel adhere to required safety restrictions, including Cal/OSHA requirements for six feet distancing and mask wearing. Research outside of controlled campus settings, as well as research in the performing arts, may resume with required safety restrictions in alignment with the LACDPH Protocol for IHE and Cal/OSHA regulations. Research Administration offices are operating remotely to provide support to principal investigators and research teams.
• UCLA Research Ramp-Up
