UK Human Resources Communicates About Remote Work Options

Lexington, Ky. (March 14, 2020) — University of Kentucky's Chief Human Resources Officer Kim Wilson emailed information to the campus community Friday night about work options pertaining to non-health care employees at UK in the wake of COVID-19 concerns.  The email is below.

Campus Community, We’ve been confronted with an unprecedented challenge in the rapid spread of – and continued uncertainty and anxiety around – the coronavirus (COVID-19).

We must be nimble, flexible, and think in innovative ways to meet the needs of everyone in our campus community, while continuing to stay open to continue the education, research, health and service missions of this indispensable institution.

One of the most important health practices to protect our community is the use and promotion of social distancing to help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

An important option to facilitate social distancing is allowing staff members to work remotely on a temporary basis when it makes sense based on an employee’s job responsibilities and the University’s operational needs.

  The following guidance applies only to non-health care employees:

• Temporary remote work is appropriate for many units or positions, but not all. 
• We are strongly encouraging College and division leaders to be flexible with employees, understanding that the work of the institution must still be done, but that we must protect the health, safety and well-being of everyone who works in our special community.
• To that end, supervisors must submit any temporary remote work requests for approval to Deans, Associate Provosts and Vice Presidents.
• The requests must be considered and approved prior to communicating any decision with employees. Our expectation is that a college and unit will seek to maximize flexibility for employees who have real needs in terms of child care and other issues that make remote work options desirable on a temporary basis during this challenging period.
• In areas where temporary remote work is not possible, leaders will be expected to consider other arrangements, such as staggered schedules or flexible hours.
• If a department or unit has multiple requests for remote work by employees, supervisors and unit leaders should consider a rotating schedule to accommodate employee needs, while ensuring that the work of a department continues.
• After all, remote work is not new at UK. HR Work-Life provides ongoing support to supervisors and employees considering flexible work opportunities.
• The University, for example, has existing policies about closings and other emergencies. During these situations, some employees are designated to work remotely, while other employees must report to their regular work location to continue supporting our students, patients, and all those who rely on us. 
• As operations continue during the University’s response to COVID-19, many employees will need to continue reporting to their regular work locations.

Temporary remote work support Employees who would like to request temporary remote work should complete this form. Supervisor support for temporary remote work

• New to managing a remote team or remote employee? Here are a few things for supervisors to consider and tips for supporting employees while working remotely.
• Know the Policy: UK's full policy on hours of work describes important details about breaks and schedules to consider for all types of flexible work options, including temporary remote work.

FAQs Temporary Remote Work  Information Technology Services strongly recommends the use of the University's virtual private network (VPN) when working remotely to better ensure the protection of University data and computing systems. Request VPN access here. 

• Are UK Laptops Available For Employees Who Must Work Remotely?
• Can I Remotely Access My UK Workstation From My Personal Computer?
• Can I Use My Personal Device to Work Remotely on Behalf of the University?
• Can I Take Equipment From My Regular University Work Location to My Temporary Remote Work location?
• How Do I Forward My Work Phone to My Personal Phone?
• Do I Need to Request Access to VPN prior to Working Remotely?
• Do I Need to Request VPN Access if I Only Use Office 365 Applications?
• Why do I need to use a VPN?

Kim Wilson

Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer