This message was shared with the faculty and staff of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system on December 13, 2021.
The new University of Hawaiʻi Telework Policy and Guidelines will replace the COVID-19 Telework policy, set to expire on December 31, 2021, as the UH 10-campus system prepares to fully reopen for the spring 2022 semester. UH campuses will be considered fully vaccinated and no longer require physical distancing with the implementation of the mandatory vaccine policies for employees and students.
The new University of Hawaiʻi Telework Policy and Guidelines is in the final stages of discussions with the unions representing Bargaining Units 07 and 08 UH employees. The Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA) will be holding ratification voting for its Unit 8 employees who are members of HGEA, after reaching a tentative agreement with the university. The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) has notified its members that it reached an agreement on the policy with UH.
The University of Hawaiʻi Telework Policy and Guidelines is intended to apply to all UH employees; however, there are a few exceptions. At this time, University employees in BUs 2, 3, 4, and 9 fall under the State of Hawaiʻi’s memorandum of understanding between the State and HGEA entered into on June 15, 2010, and not the University of Hawaiʻi Telework Policy and Guidelines. Additionally, there are some types of work that the UH recognizes may not be suitable for teleworking, such as work more typically performed by our BU 1 employees.
UH employees can review the policy and FAQs on the Office of Human Resources website:
Employees interested in telework are required to work with their supervisors and submit an application to the “Recommending Authority,” as described below, depending on Campus:
| Campus/Unit | Recommended By | Approving Authority | Designee |
|---|---|---|---|
| UH System | Director | Vice President | Associate Vice President or VP Designee (Should be EM) |
| UH Mānoa | Dean/Director | Provost | Vice Provost |
| UH Hilo | Dean/Director | Chancellor | Vice Chancellor |
| UH West Oʻahu | Division Chair/Director | Chancellor | Vice Chancellor |
| UH Community Colleges | Chancellor | Vice President | Associate Vice President |
Within 5 working days of approval of the telework request, employees must submit a work plan that includes specific deliverables and deadlines, method and frequency of communication, phone number for work hours and how confidential/sensitive information is handled, along with a checklist that certifies the safety of their teleworking environment.
All final decisions on telework requests will be made by the “Approving Authority,” the chancellor/provost for UH four-year colleges, the VP of Community Colleges for UH’s seven community colleges and a vice president at the system level, as described above.
Supervisors will evaluate teleworking employees at least every three months. Telework arrangements are only valid up to one year; after the conclusion of the approved telework arrangement, employees must reapply with an updated telework application, work plan, and safety checklist.
