Sample Policies, Guidance, and Resources

This section of the Remote Work Policy Clearinghouse includes guidance and resources from cities, counties, states, and the federal government. Below are links to sample telecommute policies, toolkits, and templates to inform new policies.

Cities

• City and County of San Francisco, CA:
  • Telecommute Policy and Program Webpage: The City and County of San Francisco’s telecommuting webpage, with information for employees and supervisors, as well as links to forms for departments, an employee learning module, an employee survey for telecommuting, a supervisor learning module, and a link to the telecommuting policy (below), as well as other resources.
    • Telecommuting Policy: A City and County of San Francisco Telecommute Policy that outlines the option, and privilege, of telecommuting, including a home workspace that is cost neutral, and information on eligibility, agreement options, training, a survey, work hours, worksite, equipment, information security, sunshine laws, and procedures.
    • San Francisco Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance (FFWO): gives certain employees the right to request flexible or predictable work arrangements to assist with caregiving responsibilities. Employers with 20 or more employees are covered by the law.
• County of San Mateo, CA:
  • Lessons Learned and Strategies for Implementing Successful Telework and Flex-Schedule Programs:
    • Telework & Flex-Schedules Toolkit 1-pager: A 1-pager, of the below 1-6-page report, that outlines: why implement telework and flex-schedules, what the toolkit is, and who it is for (other local governments and businesses).
    • Telework & Flex-Schedules Toolkit full 106-page report: Included in this report are: a definition and description of teleworking; benefits of telework; County of San Mateo case studies; how to get started; technology, equipment and infrastructure; risk and liability; County of San Mateo training content; and sample materials.
  • 2020 San Mateo County Employer Telework Needs & Interests Survey: A survey created in 2020 by San Mateo County, to gauge employees’ needs and interests in telework.
• Sacramento, CA:
  • Telework Program: A program that gives eligible employees the opportunity to work in a designated location away from the office. At the discretion of the City, telecommuting is a voluntary work assignment which must have the mutual agreement of both the City and the employee. For a telecommuting assignment to be successful, it must continue to meet the needs of the City and the employee. Includes: telecommute criteria, a telecommute request form, and setting up your remote office (specific to the City of Sacramento).
• City of Los Angeles, CA :
  • Connect2LACity.org: a work-from-home resources platform that shows city workers how to access their Google mail and calendar, and connect their work computer, and where to turn for help.
• City of Austin, TX and Travis County, TX:
  • Telecommuting Policy (Austin, TX): The City of Austin brought a resolution to their city council in May 2020 to direct the city manager to update the city’s telecommuting policies
    • City of Austin Employee Benefits website
  • Telecommuting Policy (Travis County, TX): The County of Travis is exploring ways to extend their telecommuting policy permanently, as a long-term work strategy for 75 percent of the 3,000 eligible county employees.
    • Travis County Employee Benefits website
• Chicago, IL:
  • Telework Policy: A policy outlining a telework option for employees during the COVID-19 outbreak, including: general policy provisions, considerations for telework approval, requirements for telework, and termination of telework.
• Washington, D.C.: The Washington, D.C. Department of Human Resources (DCHR) provides human resource management services that strengthen individual and organizational performance and enable the District government to attract, develop, and retain a well-qualified, diverse workforce.
  • COVID 19 Telework Resources: Guidance on telework practices, with tips and resources for managing teleworkers, with online learning tools for managers, and staff, including online courses, and audiobooks. 
• League of Minnesota Cities:
  • Questions and Answers on telework, leave policies, and related pandemic City workplace issues provided by the League of Minnesota Cities.
• City of Hampton, VA:
  • Web page designed to centralize communications, resources, and information for City of Hampton employees who are working remotely.
• City of Tucson, AZ:
  • Web page to centralize communications for telework employees, including townhalls, messages from the City Manager, HR resources, workplace safety, and frequently asked questions.
• City of Boulder, CO:
  • Web page for resources on Coronavirus and working from home.
• National League of Cities: The National League of Cities (NLC) is an advocacy organization in the United States that represents the country’s 19,495 cities, towns, and villages along with 49 state municipal leagues. Created in 1924, it has evolved into a leading membership organization providing education, research, support, and advocacy to city leaders across America.
  • Adapting City Processes and Staff to Telework: An article that includes links to resources from other cities across the county on telework policies and practices, as well as suggested administrative and operational changes.

States

• State of Iowa:
  • Telework Program: A program to provide parameters for using telework opportunities for State of Iowa contract and non-contract employees and managers. It is designed to provide the structure needed for effective implementation and operation of telework for the State of Iowa.
• State of Michigan:
  • Telecommuting Guidelines: To establish standards for telecommuting, and to address telecommuting as it relates to eligible state classified employees who request and are authorized to: 1) work partially at an assigned office, and 2) work partially at home or telecommuting center located in the State of Michigan. These guidelines do not apply to employees when their home is their official workstation or to a position established with the requirement that the person accepting the position telecommute. These guidelines do not apply to employees who work at home on a short-term basis or as a temporary or permanent reasonable accommodation approved under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• State of New Hampshire:
  • Telework Technical Assistance Manual: A manual on teleworking for the State of New Hampshire Agencies, Boards, and Commissions that goes over the following: general information, positions eligible for telework, eligibility criteria, work schedules and work space, dependent care, expenses and compensable time, emergency situations, equipment and supplies, workers’ compensation, confidentiality and information security, responsibilities, the telework agreement process, telework modifications, reporting, and forms.
• Washington State Telework Toolkit:
  • A telework toolkit website: that is a free resource for individuals and organizations that want to learn more about telework or start a telework program. There are different sections of this site for individuals, those already teleworking, organizations, and getting started in developing your own telework policy.
  • A telework toolkit that is designed to be used by organizations of any type or size, based on 40 policies from various types of organizations, both public and private. Telework policy components included are: purpose, definition, application and scope, eligibility, application and approval, telework agreement, manager responsibilities, training, duration, reviews and evaluations, communications and accessibility, work hours, travel expenses, dependent care and other non-employment responsibilities, performance standards, workspace, equipment, software, information security, legal, conditions of employment, injuries and worker’s compensation, travel accident, equipment liability, internet liability, no personal business, public records requests and retention, intellectual property rights, Americans with Disabilities Act, assisting disabled workers/return to work, office space reduction, additional employee costs, tax implications, unions, and modification or termination.
• State of Delaware:
  • Telecommuting Policy: which establishes requirements for agencies to designate alternate work locations in order to promote general work efficiencies. This document goes over: definitions, general provisions, employee responsibilities, agency responsibilities, and security and data integrity.
• State of Virginia:
  • Telework 360: A Best Practices Digest and Guide to Getting Telework Right in the Public Sector: A comprehensive 20-page guide outlining best practices for teleworking in the public sector.
• State of Florida:
  • Web page for HRM Communications and other resources, for Florida State’s Employee Telework Program.
• American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees: AFSCME is an American union representing a wide variety of public and private sector employees including local and state government workers, hospital workers, university employees, teachers, and other public-school workers.
  • Sample Telework Policy for City Employees: A sample telework policy that can be adapted for city employees, covering: agency head responsibilities, guidance for agency heads on eligibility for telework, work schedules, provision of equipment, policy compliance, and supervisory oversight.

Federal Government

• U.S. Office of Personnel Management: The U.S. OPM maintains this website to provide easy access to information about telework in federal government, in accordance with the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010.
  • Federal Telework site: Telework.gov: A page of federal resources for telework managing office and coordinators, telework managers, and telework employees, including but not limited to: building a telework program, change tools, telework basics, work schedules, assessing tasks, employee eligibility, and a safety checklist.
• U.S. General Services Administration:
  • Telework Page: with information for federal employees teleworking regularly, and on an emergency telework basis, with information about staying connected and staying protected during telework.