Remote/Hybrid Work Request Process – University Library Guidelines and Workflows

Last updated: 11/4/2024

The University of Illinois is a predominantly residential university. Therefore, it is understood that most employees, including both academic and classified personnel, will maintain an onsite presence to effectively meet institutional and operational needs. Library operations must provide excellent services to UIUC students, faculty, and staff.  To ensure excellence while being mindful of changing workforce needs, the following criteria have been developed. The employee and supervisor should review and consider these points before completing the initial request form:

A. The work to be completed away from campus must be based on the employee’s current job description and requests will state specifically which duties and how they can be done remotely.

B. No changes will be made to the job description (or specific duties) to enable remote work.

C. Front facing public service work, and work requiring access to the physical collections, must stay onsite.

D. Supervisors of front facing public service work, and work requiring access to the physical collections might not be eligible for remote work (see E).

E. Remote/hybrid agreements must NOT cause more work for other employees/supervisors within unit onsite or to other units onsite (such as asking them to pick up slack left by the remote/hybrid requests or requiring extra work to prepare for or support remote/hybrid requests).

F. An employee’s prior remote work history and success with limited supervision will be considered when determining if an employee is eligible for remote work.

G. Supervisors may deny requests if they deem the time necessary to supervise a remote employee requires extra work (see previous E).

H. Services to users must not be adversely impacted by remote work decisions.

I. Faculty, AP, and CS requests in each unit need to be considered together.

J. Decisions for the same type of position in different units will often be different.

K. If an employee has a need for a reasonable accommodation, the employee must complete the appropriate form to send to the Office of Access and Equity.  https://oae.illinois.edu/reasonable-accommodations.html

L. Child and elder care, FMLA, FFCRA, accommodations, and quarantines are covered under other university policies and procedures and will not be a factor in these submissions.

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION – Employees that are approved to work 3+ days (not including the faculty research day) off-site may be asked to vacate their dedicated office or workspace.

Temporary/One Offs allowed without a remote/hybrid agreement

Supervisors may give temporary, one-time permission for an employee to work remote during specific, agreed upon hours and if it does not create an undue burden on other employees:

• to attend online meetings/training if an onsite option is not available (travel time is not considered work time)
• to perform other one-off type job related duties as negotiated by the unit head/supervisor (example – participating in interviewing candidates)

REMINDER Quarantine situations need to be handled through Library HR as there are other factors to consider. Accommodations are processed by the Office of Access and Equity.

The remote and hybrid work requests are meant for situations when an employee’s work location is not on campus for a period longer than 1 week (greater than 5 consecutive business days) OR is reoccurring (regularly or intermittent).

Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis due to the library’s need to assure excellent services to the University of Illinois students and faculty.

Exceptions to this process are those on FLMA Leave or have approved OAE Accommodations.

NOTE – The following workflow has changed based on updates to the University forms/procedures.

1. Any employee who is interested in working remotely for any portion of their workweek on an ongoing basis (an employee’s work location is not on campus for a period longer than 1 week (greater than 5 consecutive business days) OR is reoccurring (regularly or intermittent) needs to first complete one of the Library’s Remote/Hybrid Work Submission Forms below and it includes preparing answers to the University Form and submit it to their supervisor.
   • Remote or Hybrid Request Form for all employee types
   • IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION – Employees that are approved to work 3+ days (not including the faculty research day) off-site may be asked to vacate their dedicated office or workspace.
2. The employee’s supervisor will
   • a. Work with the employee on their requests noting that there are sections for the supervisor and the unit head to complete. Be sure to review the University’s Remote and Hybrid Work Guidelines document https://humanresources.illinois.edu/assets/docs/Workplace-Flexibility-Guidelines.2022.pdf while working with employee on their request.
   • b. Consult with the AUL about the needs of the unit and whether the position’s duties (and which ones) are appropriate for remote/hybrid work.
   • c. If the supervisor and AUL are in agreement, the supervisor may submit the library’s submission form to Library HR for processing (libraryhr@library.illinois.edu).
3. Library HR will review the requests to confirm the employee is in good standing with the university and will prepare files for the group of AULs to review.
4. The group of AULs will review the submissions and determine if they are supportive of the requests.
5. With the AULs’ approval, Library HR will ask Civil Service and Academic Professional employees to complete the University Remote/Hybrid Form.  Directions will be provided to the employee by Library HR.  Library HR will record/track requests/decisions, notify the employee/supervisor of the AULs’ decision, and maintain the file in the department. NOTE that a Remote or Hybrid Work agreement is not complete and official until Library HR provides notification to the employee and supervisor that the University form is complete.  Faculty will receive notification of the request status from Library HR or their Unit Head.
6. If the employee would like to ‘appeal’ the decision, the employee may submit a written appeal to Library HR (libraryhr@library.illinois.edu) for the Dean to review.

1. To allow for a comprehensive review, Unit Heads are asked to submit a packet in May (for agreements that end in May) and December (for agreements that in December). The packets include:
   • New forms for each of their employees that have remote/hybrid agreements due for review (most agreements should have end dates of May 15 or December 15.)
     • Remote or Hybrid Request Form for all employee types

• • The Unit Overview spreadsheet – both tabs sharing all employee schedules
    • • Unit Overview of Schedules – BOTH tabs
  • The packets are due to the Assistant Dean for Business and HR by the due date provided in separate, advance communication to the Unit Heads.

2. The AULs will review the packets and determine if they will be approved.
3. With the AULs’ approval, Library HR will ask Civil Service and Academic Professional employees to complete a new University Remote/Hybrid Form.  Directions will be provided to the employee by Library HR.  Library HR will record/track requests/decisions, notify the employee/supervisor of the AULs’ decision, and maintain the file in the department. NOTE that a Remote or Hybrid Work agreement is not complete and official until Library HR provides notification to the employee and supervisor that the University form is complete.  Faculty will receive notification of the request status from Library HR or their Unit Head.

Any questions about the process may be directed to the Assistant Dean for Business and Human Resources (currently Susan Breakenridge susanb3@illinois.edu).