SAMPLE LANGUAGE
Letter of Understanding
Agreed to Parameters and Guidelines for Work-from-Home (WFH) Arrangements and Programs
The parties agree to the following parameters in determining the provisions applied to employees under a Work-from-Home (WFH) arrangement.
• Employees in a WFH arrangement maintain existing workplace rights and conditions as per the collective agreement and are not treated as outside the scope of the collective agreement.
• A process will be established for selecting employees in a WFH arrangement and participation shall be strictly voluntary. This process will ensure that WFH opportunities are available to bargaining unit members on an equitable basis, including through a gender-responsive program design, and adheres to pre-existing language in the collective agreement regarding seniority and anti-discrimination policies.
• There shall be no contracting out or outsourcing of bargaining unit work resulting from employees’ decision to work from home.
• A policy on work-related expenses for employees in a WFH arrangement will be established based on the principal that expenses associated with a WFH arrangement shall not be borne by the participating employee. This includes clear terms on compensation for direct and indirect costs for workers to perform their duties in such an arrangement.
• Respect for privacy must be maintained for employees in a WFH arrangement. The use of any surveillance tools and data storage must be mutually agreed to.
Note to Local Union Committee: A gender-responsive program design must consider the unique needs of any specific gender, including modifying program rules to address personal challenges that workers may face when working from home, including, but not limited to personal health and safety and family care responsibilities.
