The university directive for remote work is entitled Tillfälliga riktlinjer vid distansarbete för teknisk och administrativ personal and is valid from June 1 to November 6, 2022. The needs of the organisation must always be priority when it comes to any decision on remote work. It is not your right as an employee to decide whether you can or cannot work remotely, and nor is the University obliged to permit you to work remotely. If your immediate manager permits you to work remotely, then it can be no more than 40 percent of your work time per calendar month.
Definition: Remote Work
Remote work is defined as “a way to organise and/or complete work using information technology in the context of an employment contract or employment relationship where the work that could be completed at the employer’s premises is regularly completed somewhere else.”
Enter a Remote Work Agreement: Procedures
- First you must initiate a discussion with your immediate manager about drawing up an agreement that will allow you to work remotely.
- Your immediate manager will determine whether it is possible for you to work remotely and will refer to the guidelines in Tillfälliga riktlinjer vid distansarbete för teknisk och administrativ personal (pdf). A template is available for the agreement itself.
The needs of the University and your department/office must always determine whether you can work remotely. This is why opportunities to work remotely may differ between employees. Managers should be clear about this.
Q&A: Remote Work
What is the difference between remote work (distansarbete) and occasional work from home (sporadiskt hemarbete)?
Remote work is defined as “a way to organise and/or complete work using information technology in the context of an employment contract or employment relationship where the work that could be completed at the employer’s premises is regularly completed somewhere else.”
Occasional work from home does not require a remote work agreement. It simply requires the verbal consent from your immediate manager on each occasion you want to work from a location other than university premises.
I have been working remotely for a long time. Why must I now enter a formal agreement with my immediate manager?
According to the current local agreement about working hours for TA staff, all employees have a duty to work from their university workplace. They can only work from another location if their immediate manager provides their consent. With a formal agreement, expectations are made clear as are the rights and obligations of each party. Furthermore, it provides a means of tracking work arrangements should a new manager be appointed.
When should I enter an agreement on remote work?
If you would like to work remotely on a regular basis, you will need to talk with your immediate manager. It is your immediate manager who decides - based on the needs of the organisation - whether it is possible for you to work remotely.
I understand the maximum amount of time I can work remotely is 40 percent, but can I work remotely more than that?
The fundamental rule is that you may work remotely up to a maximum of 40 percent of your working hours per calendar month. If you need to work remotely more than this, then you must discuss this with your immediate manager. Only somebody in a managerial position can make this decision.
What happens to my office workplace at the University if I work remotely?
The employer must ensure that every employee has a workplace at the University. Your immediate manager decides what is needed in accordance with the needs of the organisation. It is important that you discuss this before you start to work remotely. All parties need to be clear about all aspects of the agreement.
What equipment can I take with me so that I can work remotely?
A rental package (hybrid standard) is available that in addition to a laptop provides you with the following equipment (note this is outlined in the agreement):
- External screen
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Docking station
If you require any other equipment, then you must discuss this with your immediate manager.
The university directive states the following: “The employee is responsible for ensuring that the remote workplace is functional, both the physical and the psychosocial aspects. The remote workplace must also be ergonomically designed in a way that is in accordance with current regulations.”
All employees who enter into an agreement on remote work must undergo e-training in ergonomics. A physiotherapist from Previa has recommendations for how you can design your remote workplace ergonomically.
I don't want my employer to visit me in my home to check my remote workplace.
The employer has a far-reaching responsibility for the work environment of its staff members. This means that the employer has an obligation to check their employees’ workplaces, and this includes their remote workplaces. See § 9 Arbetsmiljö in Riktlinjer om distansavtal.
What about insurance?
When you enter an agreement to work remotely, it is up to you to ensure that you have home insurance.
As your employer, the University is responsible for ensuring that you, its employee, are insured against work-related injuries: i.e., injuries that occur as a direct result of the work you perform at the remote workplace - for example, your home.
When you work remotely (i.e., not from the University), the insurer will assess whether the injury occurred because of your work, which means a stricter interpretation. It is the insurer that decides on claims settlement in the event of injury, and the University has no say in the matter.