March 17 Mandel School Communication - Details and Answers on Remote Work

Dear Mandel School supervisors and staff,

Last night, everyone received the email below from Carolyn Gregory and Libby Keefer outlining work from home guidelines with a link to an extensive list of FAQs. If you have not already done so, please read the email and FAQs carefully. Let me know if you have any questions as you review this information.

The guidelines contained in the email below and this follow-up message apply to staff employees only (administrative staff, research assistants, research associates, senior research associates). It is being sent to all faculty and staff since supervisors need to be informed and our preference is to be as inclusive as possible.

Below is a summary of key points for Mandel School staff

  • You can enter our buildings if you need to pick something up. However, both buildings are now locked during the day, so you will need your CWRU ID card to gain access. Visiting campus to pick up materials is not considered compensatory time (see below).
  • Vacation and sick time should be used as you would if you were on-campus, following existing University policies.
  • Temporary employees (Kelley Services) can work from home with supervisor approval. Temporary staff not working will not be paid.
  • We will be able to hire employees during this time. For those who have new employees starting in the next few weeks, I will send you a separate email.
  • More guidance on coding hours in HCM will come soon.
  • It is anticipated that we will all work from home through this semester (approximately the end of April). However, this could change.
  • It is allowable to charge all external funding sources (grants and contracts) for all work during this time.

Exempt Employees (paid monthly; salaried)

All exempt employees should work from home unless their supervisor has determined they are essential on-campus employees. Please consult with your supervisor if you are not sure if you are “essential on campus” or “essential working off-campus.” Supervisors can email Craig Zullig with any questions about this designation.

Essential on-campus employees: In addition to receiving their regular pay, employees in this category will receive compensatory (comp) time for all time worked on campus. The employee must report this time to their supervisor on a weekly basis. Comp time is received on a 1-to-1 basis (e.g., an employee working 4 hours on-campus would receive 4 hours of comp time) and a single day can include both on-campus and off-campus hours. It is expected that some employees designated as “essential on-campus” may only have to be on campus as needed, and would work from home at other times. This designation only applies if the supervisor requires the employee to be on-campus; it is not based on the employee’s preference. Further, a supervisor may change this designation at any time.

Essential employees working off-campus: Employees in this category will receive their regular pay. To be clear, everyone should be working from home; if you choose to come in (and are not designated “essential on-campus” by your supervisor), you will not receive comp time.

Non-Exempt Employees (paid twice monthly; eligible for overtime)

SUPERVISORS - please approve time weekly in HCM.

Essential employees working off-campus: Employees in this category will receive compensation equal to their regular pay.

Any request for overtime requires advance approval from your supervisor AND the Vice President of Human Resources (Carolyn Gregory) before overtime can be worked. Supervisors should send requests to Melissa Van (mxv128@case.edu).

Non-essential employees: Non-exempt employees who cannot work from home will receive compensation equal to their regular rate of pay.

Thank you,

Melissa Van, MS, SHRM-CP
Director of Human Resources
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences