Relating to restricting telework for employees of public institutions of higher education.

Contracts

• Employment Agreements: Review all offer letters and faculty contracts. Remove "permanent remote" clauses unless contingent on statutory exceptions (e.g., ADA compliance or specific Distance Education assignments).
• Vendor Agreements: Contracts with Online Program Managers (OPMs) must be amended to ensure faculty staffing aligns with "distance education" course designations, as this is now the only legal pathway for remote faculty work.
• Faculty Handbooks: Update to reflect that remote work is no longer a negotiated benefit but a function of course designation (Distance Ed/Dual Credit) or research location.

Hiring/Training

• Manager Training: Train department heads that they no longer have the authority to approve remote work based on preference. Approvals must now pass a statutory compliance check.
• Recruiting: Cease advertising positions as "Remote" or "Hybrid" unless the role has been pre-cleared against the Section 51.992(c) exceptions.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Statutory Telework Affidavit: Create a mandatory form for every remote employee.
• Non-Teaching Staff: Must document evidence of "minimal supervision," "time management skills," and a "record of efficiency."
• Faculty: Must link the employee to a specific course formally approved for remote instruction via faculty governance.
• Catastrophe Logs: Establish a log to track start/end dates of "Chief Administrative Officer" declared emergencies (e.g., weather, epidemic) to justify payroll for temporary remote work.

Fees & Costs

• Audit Costs: Significant internal administrative hours required to audit the physical location of the entire workforce.
• Liability Insurance: Potential increase in Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) risk due to the subjective nature of the "minimal supervision" requirement, which may trigger discrimination claims if applied inconsistently.