b'Thriving with Remote Teams:A Guide to Seamless andCompliant ManagementBy Jaime Lizotte Manage Exempt and Non-Exempt Director HR & Compliance SolutionsEmployees DifferentlyPoster Guard Plus TM Managing exempt and non-exemptemployees remotely requiresRemote work has become the new normaldifferent approaches. Herefor many businesses and its creating uniquearesome key considerations:challenges. From posting compliance toFLSA considerations, there are several Non-Exempt Employees: key aspects to address when dealing withClearly outline when employeesremote employees. are expected to be working andwhen they are off the clock.Satisfy Posting ComplianceUse an electronic system for clocking Requirements Establish Company Policies But what if a remote employee noBy law, U.S. businesses must communicatein/out if possibleor utilize weeklyCompany policies are crucial for managinglonger works within a 75-mile radiusmandatory labor law postings to all employees,time sheets. remote employees effectively. Youll wantof the office? A bulletin from the FMLAincluding those who work remotely. Fortu- Ensure employees are not respondingto outline preferred communication chan- specifies that a home office may not be nately, federal agencies like the Departmentto work emails or calls, or workingnels and expected response times, as wellconsidered a work location; rather, theof Labor (DOL) have indicated that digitalthrough breaks when clocked out. as expected work hours and any flexibilityphysical setting that remote employees postings are an acceptable supplement toMake sure overtime work is pre-allowed. Define performance metrics andreport to and receive work from is the hard-copy postings if you employ both on-siteapproved to avoid unauthorized hours. evaluation criteria. Detail what equipmentwork location.and remote workers. Employers should pro- the company will provide and what employeesThis means a remote worker remainsvide electronic postings to any employee whoExempt Employees: are responsible for. Include guidelines on data eligible for FMLA leave if the reportingdoesnt visit a posting-compliant work locationInstead of tracking hours, focus protection and confidentiality. And make sure office employs 50 or more employeesat least 3-4 times a month. on deliverables. employees understand how to maintain a safewithin a 75-mile radius and the workerComplying with posting requirements isSchedule regular meetings to discussand ergonomic workspace at home. meets the 12-month and 1,250-hour particularly tricky if your remote employeesprogress and any challenges. Clarification of FMLA Coverage requirement. In this case, the distancework in different states. The laws where anAllow for flexible working hours for Remote Employees of the remote employee to the primaryemployee works, not lives, typically governwork location is irrelevant.basic employment rights, such as minimumif the work gets done effectively. Unsure whether Family and Medical Leave wage, overtime and safety issues. Address Security and Confidentiality Act (FMLA) coverage applies to your remoteOptimize Remote Employeeworkers? The current criteria for FMLA ManagementThe structure of your company can furtherEnsure employees use secure, encryptedeligibility are: Managing remote employees involvescomplicate the situation. Your remote networks for work purposes, and implementEmployee has been with the companyaddressing a variety of compliance,employees may be covered by the laws atVirtual Private Networks (VPNs) to secure your primary location and the laws of thethe connection to your companys network.for 12 months security and policy-related issues.state where they work. Because of these Establish policies on data protection andEmployee has worked at least 1,250By staying informed and utilizing various employment relationships, your confidentiality, and provide regular traininghours in the last 12 months the right tools, you can ensure yoursafest option is to provide multiple sets ofon recognizing phishing attempts and otherremote workforce remains compliant,Employer has at least 50 employees secure and productive.state-specific postings to remote workers. security threats. within a 75-mile radius14 Your Trusted Partner for Labor Law Compliance PosterGuardPlus.com 15'