Remote Work Agreement
Please use the Quicklinks on this page to learn more about Remote Work Agreements.
Important Note: This page provides instructions for completing the Remote Work Agreement in EBS. For details on the RWA process before beginning the form in EBS, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reminders
Will I receive a reminder when my Remote Work Agreement is about to expire?
Yes, you and your current supervisor will both receive an email 30 days before your agreement expires. If you do not initiate a new agreement another reminder will come 3 days before the agreement expires.
Is there any reason I wouldn't receive a reminder?
Yes, if you do not have a supervisor to approve a new agreement, already have your next agreement in place, or have initiated a new agreement but it is not yet approved, you will not be send a reminder.
COMPLETING THE FORM
I don't have a supervisor, now what?
Please let your department know as this happens from time to time given the number of changes at MSU.
If you do not have a supervisor, or that position is currently vacant, your position must have a valid supervisor added before you can request a Remote Work Agreement. Unit Administrators in your unit can modify these relationships using the Position Details & Relationships tile.
If you don't know who your Unit Administrators are, Unit Time Administrators can also do this. To find Unit Time Administrators who can modify reporting relationships in your department:
- Use the HR/Payroll Administrator Roles tile.
- Search for your department in the "Org. Unit of security role(s)" field.
- Then "Go" for the search results.
- The tab "HR Unit Time Administrator" lists people who can create or update a supervisory relationship for you.
- That person can use the Position Details & Relationships tile to establish a valid supervisory position for you.
- Contact that person directly for assistance.
What if I work remotely in more than one location (for any given position I hold)?
At this time the Remote Work Agreement only records the location where you do MOST of your remote work. If you work remotely in more than one place (for example, at your home most of the time, but occasionally at a relatives or vacation property), enter the address where you complete MOST of your work.
Ask your supervisor if and how they want to be notified if you are temporarily working someplace other than the location on the Remote Work Agreement. Work on behalf of MSU should NOT be completed outside the Michigan without an approved Remote Work Agreement. This does not include short-term vacations, sabbaticals, etc.
Can my supervisor change what I enter?
No, but the Supervisor will add information about any costs associated with a person working remotely. You will receive a copy of that by email once the form is completely through the process.
What if my address is protected?
The Remote Work Agreement respects addresses that are kept confidential due to a Personal Protective Order (PPO), and select others. In these cases, the address you enter will not show to your supervisor.
APPROVAL PROCESS
How does the approval work?
The Remote Work Agreement is initiated by the employee, then sent to the supervisor for further additions and approval. You will be warned if there is no supervisor to approve the form and prevented from starting an agreement.
Once your Remote Work Agreement is approved, any addresses within the United States will be updated automatically. You will receive an email once the address of your Remote Work Agreement has been updated. Work location addresses outside the United States are not updated automatically, so expect some delay in notification.
Who can receive the form as an ad hoc approver?
Ad hoc approvers must have either the EBS Unit HR/Payroll Approver role or the HR Payroll Approver Adhoc role. Links to the Access Request Memorandums for each are below.
- Unit HR/Payroll Approver (ARM form)
- EBS HR Payroll Approver Adhoc (eARM form)
Why can't I add another supervisor as an ad hoc approver?
The Manager Self-Service role is needed for the supervisor to be able to approve the form, ONLY. Other people with the Manager Self-Service role cannot be added as an ad hoc.
Ad hoc approvers must have an approver role as noted above.
What are the possible approval paths?
The supervisor is always part of the approval. Up to 4 ad hoc approvers can be added.
If the remote work location is out of the country, human resources processes the form (this is not an approval, though), otherwise the information is immediately saved into the HR/Payroll System as soon as approvals have been complete.
How will I know when/if my Remote Work Agreement has completed the process?
You will receive an email once the form is completed; whether it is approved or denied. Additionally, you may watch its progress in the HR Forms Workflow Report.
What if I need to withdraw my application?
If for any reason you need to withdraw your Remote Work Agreement before it is approved, that can also be done through the HR Forms Workflow Report.
- Use the "My In-Process" option in the upper left of the application and "Go" to run the report
- Select the application from the table in the bottom half of the screen, the choose the "Details" button
- On the following screen, use the "Withdraw" button in the upper right to cancel the application.
My Remote Work Agreement was rejected, now what?
If your supervisor rejected your Remote Work Agreement back to you because some information needs to be changed, you will find it in your HR/Payroll Inbox. From here you may either make updates and resubmit the agreement, or withdraw it.
WORK LOCATIONS AT MSU
Why doesn't the Remote Work address show in the Work Location tile?
The Work Location tile (Business Address tile for Unit Administrators) shows addresses at MSU where your work would be conducted. It cannot reference locations that are not at MSU. Eventually, these two sets of addresses will be combined.
