HOME WORKING POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Introduction
North Dorset District Council is committed to work life balance and for many years has, as far as
possible, operated flexible working systems for most staff so that they can accommodate the needs
and requirements of their personal and home life with their working life.
Homeworking forms part of those flexible working arrangements. To work effectively any such
arrangement has to meet the business needs of the service, ensuring that the needs of both external
and internal customers will not suffer, as well as those of the individual.
There are several different ways of Homeworking which are as follows:

Working at home on an occasional or temporary basis;

Working from home where staff whose work is in the community travel from home to their first
call rather than coming in to the Council offices first;
Having a contractual arrangement to work all or part of the working week at home

Whilst not all jobs are suitable for homeworking, any request will be considered on its merits. Jobs
that involve project work, an identifiable output or those providing services within the community may
be suitable for working from home. Jobs that are unlikely to be suitable or practical are those that
provide a direct service to the public, for example staffing a reception area and those that require
specialist equipment.
This Policy must be read in conjunction with the Flexible Working Policy which outlines how the
Councils operates the Scheme, guidance on how to apply and what to consider when making an
application to change your working arrangements

Working at home on a temporary or occasional basis

There are a number of circumstances where it may be appropriate for an employee to work from
home, and which suits both the Council and the member of staff. These may include when a member
of staff:

needs a quiet time to write reports/papers

has a backlog of administrative tasks
has difficulty in getting to work because of a public transport dispute or adverse weather
conditions
has a lease car or car that is needed for work which will be unavailable, because it is being
serviced or having an MOT
is fit to work but may be contagious
can travel to their calls/visits from home rather than the Council offices
has a sick relative at home for whom they must be present in emergency situations, or they need
to be present for a few days while the individual is recovering from an operation
has child care arrangements which have broken down at short notice

Consideration of requests for working at home

All temporary or occasional homeworking will be subject to the prior agreement of the individuals
Manager, on the basis that clear outputs are identified in advance, which can be checked and
monitored. The Manager should be able to contact the person working at home at any time of the
agreed working day, which in some situations may differ from the usual working times.
If a request to work at home on a temporary basis is refused and the individual concerned is not
happy with the decision then the matter may be referred Head of Personnel and Training. The
decision made at this stage will be final.
Employees working at home on an occasional or temporary basis will not normally be supplied with
equipment by the Council.

The potential advantages of Homeworking

For the Council:

Potential for increased quality and quantity of work

Savings on business mileage
Potential benefits from increased goodwill and morale
Supports the Councils Transport Strategy
Retention of trained employees who might otherwise have to leave for domestic reasons and
therefore costs savings on the recruitment and training of new staff
Supports the Councils Equal Opportunities Policy, for example homeworking may benefit some
employees with disabilities or those with caring responsibilities
Potential savings on accommodation from more efficient use of space, for example from desk
sharing

For the individual:

Saves time, money and effort on travelling

Avoids the need for travelling at peak times
Provides greater freedom to manage workloads
Can give greater job satisfaction and personal responsibility
Enhances quality of life
Gives greater flexibility for combining work and domestic commitments (but is not a substitute for
inadequate childcare arrangements)

The potential disadvantages of homeworking

Supervision of staff using their home as a workbase may be more difficult than for staff working in
the Council offices
Some staff may feel isolated working at home/from home
Staff working at home may feel there is a loss of the clear definition between what is work time
(on duty) and leisure time(off-duty).

Points to consider for a Homeworking arrangement

A number of points will be considered in deciding whether home working is appropriate, including the
impact on service delivery:

Is there a need for some of the team to be office-based and if so, how will it be achieved
How will service needs or customer demands be affected
What impact will homeworking have on the efficiency of the office and service
Is it possible for the individuals work to be done in the home environment what will the impact
be on the family and other residents of the home
What are the implications for supervision/monitoring of the employees work - is the individual self
disciplined and able to work without close supervision
Does the employee have suitable accommodation at home free from distraction
Does the employee have suitable IT equipment at home or will the Council need to supply the
necessary equipment.
Are there suitable facilities for ICT available for ICT connections to be made e.g. a dedicated
phone line
Does the employee need access to files which cannot be taken home
Is working closely with the team or colleagues in other Departments a key element of the
individuals work
Is the work of a confidential nature so that secure storage arrangements are required
What are the implications for work colleagues
Will the individuals work activities have to be reviewed/changed in order to accommodate
homeworking and what implications will that have
What arrangements will need to be in place to contact the employee
Would working from home assist an individual who is disabled or has carer responsibilities
What are the individuals reasons/motivation for working from home on a permanent basis
What if any are the Health and Safety implications for the Council and the individual ( See Section
6 of the Procedure)

The final agreement to support homeworking will rest with the relevant Manager and/or Director, who
are responsible for ensuring that all relevant issues are properly addressed, in consultation with the
Head of Personnel and Training. Decisions to allow homeworking will be reviewed regularly and in
the event of any difficulties arising the arrangement may be terminated.
All requests for homeworking when agreed will be subject to six months trial before final agreement.
If thought necessary the trial period may be extended for up to a further six months.
The relevant forms for applying for homeworking are available on the intranet.

Procedure
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Terms and conditions of employment

Where an individual works at home on an occasional basis e.g to finish a report or be present
for a relative who is recovering from an operation then there will be no need to change their
terms and conditions of employment. If the individual is to be a homeworker then they will have
to be given the appropriate employment contract and terms and conditions of service.

Annual leave
Requests for annual leave must be sent to and agreed by the line manager in the normal
manner

Flexitime
Individuals working from home will not be part of the flexitime scheme as the homeworking
arrangement in itself allows for flexibility within the working day/week.

Sickness
Individuals working from home will be subject to the normal sickness absence procedures,
therefore if they are unable to work they should contact their line manager on the first day of the
sickness. (See Sickness Absence Management Policy and Procedure)

If a request is declined
If a request for homeworking is declined, reasons for the refusal will be given to the employee.
Employees who are unhappy with those reasons will be able to present their case to a panel.
The Appeal Procedure will be as outlined in the Flexible Working Policy.

Health and Safety

6.1

The Council has a responsibility to ensure, so far as it is reasonably practicable, the

health, safety and welfare of staff, wherever they work. Employees working at home
have the same duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 as all other
employees. They must take care of their own health and safety and that of anyone else
who might be affected by their actions.

6.2

The employees Manager will ensure that a risk assessment is undertaken for the
employees homeworking environment prior to any homeworking taking place. It may be
sufficient for the employee to undertake their own risk assessment if homeworking will
be occasional or limited. If homeworking is to be a permanent arrangement the risk
assessment must be completed by the individuals line manager or the Health and
Safety Adviser.

6.3

There are five steps to take to make sure that a proper risk assessment is carried out.

Identify any hazards

Decide who may be harmed and how
Assess the risk and take appropriate action to remove or minimize
Record the findings, and
Check the risks annually and if there are any changes to the environment and take
further steps if needed.

6.4

A Homeworking Risk Assessment Checklist is available and must be completed prior to

any homeworking taking place. A copy must be retained by both the manager and the
employee. This should include the assessment of any risks arising from the work to be
carried out, the working area, any equipment used, any manual handling, any personal
security issues. (The HSE has published a guidance document on homeworking which
will be made available to all employees)

6.5

Employees must ensure that all reasonable care has been taken to ensure that they
work in a safe working environment and in a comfortable position. Breaks must be taken
to prevent undue tiredness or injury.

6.6

The Council reserves the right to check the employees home work areas for Health and
Safety purposes. The need for such inspections will depend on the frequency the
employee is working at home and the nature of the work undertaken.

6.7

If an accident or injury occurs while working at home, the employee must notify their line
manager without delay to allow an investigation to take place if necessary.

Electrical and other Equipment (need to decide the approach to the provision of
equipment)
7.1

Electrical sockets and other parts of the domestic electrical system are the employees
responsibility.

7.2

Where equipment is provided employees must:

7.3

Take reasonable care of it

Use it only for official purposes
Use it only in accordance with any operating instructions
Return it to North Dorset District Council when requested.

Managers should liaise with the IT section regarding any specialist equipment needs, to
check compatibility of home equipment or to set up connections.

ICT Equipment and Security

8.1

Staff working at home should comply with the Council's ICT Security Policy. Appropriate
anti-virus software must be installed on any home computers being used by staff when
working at home. All software used must be properly licensed,

8.2

Where staff are contractually required to work at home as part of their working week the
Council will provide computer equipment to be located at home. In such cases the
computer will be set up as a Council computer with access to required software and
networks. In these cases the computer should be used exclusively for Council business.

8.3

ICT will need to be allowed access to office equipment installed in the home for
maintenance and the updating of software programmes etc.

8.4

Any equipment such as portable computers must be kept in a secure place. In particular
private and confidential material must be kept securely at all times. Documents and files
must be kept secure. Line managers must be satisfied that all reasonable precautions
are taken to maintain confidentiality of material in accordance with the Councils Data
Protection Policy.

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Telephones
9.1

Arrangements will be made whereby the individual will receive all incoming calls using
their office number and outgoing calls will be prefixed by a code so that all charges are
made direct to the Council.

9.2

Under no circumstances is the individuals personal phone number to be given out as a

contact number.

9.3

Mobile phones will be provided as appropriate.

9.4

Arrangements must be put in place so that work related calls are not received or dealt
with outside of the employees normal working hours e.g. Voicemail/answerphone

Furniture and other necessary equipment

10.1

Where it is necessary to purchase suitable office furniture i.e. a desk, chair or storage or
filing cupboard they will be paid for by the Council.

10.2

Replacement items will only be purchased subject to normal use and fair wear and tear.

10.3

Staff leaving the Councils employment within two years of starting homeworking will
have to return or pay for the furniture supplied.

Meetings and Training

11.1

Meetings with Managers/Team Meetings/Training Individuals working from home

should always make themselves available for meetings with their line mangers and for
Team Meetings and Training sessions or courses.

11.2

Meetings with clients or representatives - Under no circumstances are arrangements to

be made for clients or representatives to meet with the individual at their home. All such
meetings should be carried out at the Councils offices.

Reimbursement of Costs
12.1

The Council will not cover the cost of heating and lighting in the employees home. One
of the advantages for employees, of working from home, is a saving in travel expenses
incurred in travelling to work: these savings will be deemed to cover any household
costs. Any stationery or printer needs should be met from office stocks and only in
approved cases will staff be reimbursed for the purchase of such items.

12.2

Current Inland Revenue guidance allows people to make a claim towards the cost of
working at home. Employees should check with the Inland Revenue on current
guidance on eligibility.

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Insurance
13.1

Working at or from home may affect the home and contents insurance policies of the
householder. Employees must inform and make any necessary arrangements with their
insurers before commencing homeworking.

13.2

Items of equipment belonging to the Council are covered by the Council's insurance
arrangements, i.e. equipment securely stored in an individual employees home is
covered. If it is necessary to take any equipment in the car it should be stored out of site
in the boot, at all times and the car must be locked when left. Failure to take adequate
precautions to ensure the safety of the equipment may result in the employee being
liable for the replacement cost of the equipment.

13.3

The Councils Employers Liability insurance will give cover if the Council is held to be
legally liable in respect of injury arising out of and in the course of employment at home,
provided the work has been authorised by the employees line manager. However an
employee working at home would be primarily responsible for his/her own working
environment.

13.4

If an accident or injury occurs while working at home, the employee must notify their line
manager without delay to allow an investigation to take place if necessary.

13.5

Although covered by the Councils Employers Liability Policy employees working at or

from home are advised to ensure their house contents policy has Public Liability cover
for at least 1 million. This is a standard clause in most home insurance policies. If an
employee does not have such cover then they must notify his/her manager who should
seek appropriate advice from the Insurance Section.

Mortgage and Tenancy Agreements

Employees working at or from home on a regular basis must inform anyone with an interest in
the property e.g. their building society, bank or landlord.

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Council tax, business rates and capital gains tax

It is unlikely that there will be any change to an individuals council tax or any liability to business
rates as they will not be running a business from home and the business use of a the house is
likely to be subsidiary to the domestic use e.g. a work area in the spare bedroom or living room.
Working from home may affect an employees liability to capital gains tax if they sell their home.
This will only apply if part of the house has been used exclusively for employment purposes.

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Mileage claims
Any entitlement to claim mileage between home and other locations should be clarified at the
outset in accordance with the Authority's normal guidelines. Mileage claims for travel between
home and council offices would not normally be considered as the working location would be
split between the employee's home address and the Council offices. Mileage claims for other
business travel should not exceed the travel costs that would have been incurred from the
normal office base.