RESOLUTION NO. 031720

RESOLUTION AMENDING THE TOWN OF McCORDSVILLE
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

	WHEREAS, because of the recent declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor of the State of Indiana, the Town Council of the Town of McCordsville, Indiana, believes that to further the safety of all employees and still provide for the provision of Town services to the citizens, the Town of McCordsville Employee Handbook should be amended to allow for Telecommuting under certain circumstances.

	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Council of the Town of McCordsville, Indiana, as follows:

SECTION I

	The Town of McCordsville Employee Handbook shall be amended by adding 4-14, TELECOMMUTING as attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit A.

SECTION II

	This Resolution shall be in full force and effect upon its passage.
	
	Adopted this 17th day of March, 2020.

TOWN OF McCORDSVILLE, INDIANA, BY ITS TOWN COUNCIL

Voting Affirmative:				       Voting Opposed:

_________________________________		_________________________________
Thomas R. Strayer					Thomas R. Strayer

_________________________________  		_________________________________
Larry J. Longman					Larry J. Longman
		
_________________________________  		_________________________________
Gregory J. Brewer					Gregory J. Brewer

_________________________________  		_________________________________
Branden D. Williams					Branden D. Williams

_________________________________  		_________________________________
Barry A. Wood    					Barry A. Wood    

ATTEST:

_________________________________
Staci Starcher, Clerk-Treasurer

This instrument was prepared by Gregg H. Morelock, BRAND & MORELOCK, 6 West South Street, Greenfield, IN 46140.
P:\Gregg\MUNICIPAL\McCordsville\Resolutions\Employee Handbook (Telecommuting) - 03-17-20.wpd

EXHIBIT A	

Telecommuting Policy and Procedure 

Objective
Telecommuting allows employees to work at home, on the road or in a satellite location for all or part of their workweek. The Town of McCordsville considers telecommuting to be a viable, flexible work option when both the employee and the job are suited to such an arrangement. Telecommuting may be appropriate for some employees and jobs but not for others. Telecommuting is not an entitlement, it is not a companywide benefit, and it in no way changes the terms and conditions of employment with the Town of McCordsville.  Telecommuting may be allowed during emergency situations and with the approval of the Town Manager following consultation with the Town Council President. 
Procedures
Telecommuting can be informal, such as working from home for a short-term project on the road during business travel or during declared emergencies. Either an employee or a supervisor can suggest telecommuting as a possible work arrangement.
Any telecommuting arrangement made will be on a limited basis and may be discontinued at any time by the Town of McCordsville. 
Eligibility
Before entering into any telecommuting agreement, the employee and manager, will evaluate the suitability of such an arrangement, reviewing the following areas:
•	Employee suitability. The employee and manager will assess the needs and work habits of the employee, compared to traits customarily recognized as appropriate for successful telecommuters.
•	Job responsibilities. The employee and manager will discuss the job responsibilities and determine if the job is appropriate for a telecommuting arrangement.
•	Equipment needs, workspace design considerations and scheduling issues. The employee and manager will review the physical workspace needs and the appropriate location for the telework. 
•	Tax and other legal implications. The employee must determine any tax or legal implications under IRS, state and local government laws, and/or restrictions of working out of a home-based office. Responsibility for fulfilling all obligations in this area rests solely with the employee.
If the employee and manager agree, and the Town Council President concurs, a telecommuting agreement will be prepared and signed by all parties. 
Evaluation of telecommuter performance will include regular interaction by phone and e-mail between the employee and the manager, and weekly face-to-face meetings or video conferencing meetings to discuss work progress and problems. both content and frequency but will focus on work output and completion of objectives rather than on time-based performance.
An appropriate level of communication between the telecommuter and supervisor will be agreed to as part of the discussion process. The telecommuter will communicate at a level consistent with employees working at the office or in a manner and frequency that is appropriate for the job and the individuals involved.

Equipment  
On a case-by-case basis, the Town of McCordsville will determine, with information supplied by the employee and the supervisor, the appropriate equipment needs (including hardware, software, and other office equipment) for each telecommuting arrangement. Equipment supplied by the organization will be maintained by the organization. Equipment supplied by the employee, if deemed appropriate by the organization, will be maintained by the employee. The Town of McCordsville accepts no responsibility for damage or repairs to employee-owned equipment. The Town of McCordsville reserves the right to make determinations as to appropriate equipment, subject to change at any time. Equipment supplied by the organization is to be used for business purposes only. The telecommuter must sign an inventory of all Town of McCordsville property received and agree to take appropriate action to protect the items from damage or theft. 
The employee will establish an appropriate work environment within his or her home for work purposes. 
Security
Consistent with the organization’s expectations of information security for employees working at the office, telecommuting employees will be expected to ensure the protection of proprietary company and customer information accessible from their home office. Steps include the use of locked file cabinets and desks, regular password maintenance, and any other measures appropriate for the job and the environment.
Time Worked
Telecommuting employees who are not exempt from the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act will be required to accurately record all hours worked using the Town of McCordsville’s time-keeping system. Hours worked in excess of those scheduled per day and per workweek require the advance approval of the telecommuter’s supervisor.  Further, the employee must file a report outlining their work product during the time spent telecommuting. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in the immediate termination of the telecommuting agreement.
Ad Hoc Arrangements
Temporary telecommuting arrangements may be approved for circumstances such as health-related outbreaks, inclement weather, special projects or business travel. These arrangements are approved on an as-needed basis only, with no expectation of ongoing continuance. 
Other informal, short-term arrangements may be made for employees on family or medical leave to the extent practical for the employee and the organization and with the consent of the employee’s health care provider, if appropriate. 
All informal telecommuting arrangements are made on a case-by-case basis, focusing first on the business needs of the organization.