Common use of Off-Hours Communications Clause in Contracts

Off-Hours Communications. CPD and the Guild acknowledge the importance of employees being able to have work-life balance and that being required to check email or phones off-hours can impede the ability for employees to strike that balance. Generally, the hours before 8:30am or after 6:30pm (as applied in the time zone for the person receiving the communications), personal-time-off, weekends or other designated days of rest (e.g. other days as designated in flex schedules), and CPD holidays are considered “off-hours.” Employees are not expected to regularly check their email or phones off-hours. If a response is required to be done off-hours, supervisors must explicitly state that expectation and the rationale for the need for off-hours responses. Supervisors should work to provide as much advance notice of any need to work off-hours. Employees will not be disciplined for failing to respond to off-hour communications unless there is an explicit expectation or responsibility that requires responsiveness. When CPD communicates with an employee off-hours in a manner that requires a response it will be considered time working except for de minimis communication. More intrusive work-related communications by employees and supervisors (e.g., texting and phone calls) in the off-hours should generally be limited to those items that are time-sensitive or necessary for a responsibility-specific communication. Departments will work, with employees’ input, to develop practices that make sense for the demands for their teams, especially for rapid-response situations. Employees who have questions about expectations are encouraged to ask their supervisor. Employees who feel they experience a pattern of excessive or intrusive off-hour communications are encouraged to raise it directly with their supervisor, their supervisor’s supervisor, or HR.

Off-Hours Communications. 1. CPD and the Guild acknowledge the importance of employees being able to have work-life balance and that being required to check email or phones off-hours can impede the ability for employees to strike that balance. 2. GenerallyDepartments will work, with employees' input, to develop practices that make sense for the demands for their teams, especially for rapid-response situations. 3. Departments will meet and discuss what Team Members should expect and respond to in terms of off-hours communications (e.g., emails may not have to be read or responded to unless they are accompanied with a phone call or text, advising that the matter is time sensitive or an emergency). 4. The hours before 8:30am or after 6:30pm (as applied in the time zone for the person receiving the communications), personal-time-off, weekends or other designated days of rest (e.g. other days as designated in flex schedules), and CPD holidays are considered “"off-hours.” " More intrusive work-related communications by employees and supervisors (e.g., texting and phone calls) in the off-hours should be limited to those items that are time-sensitive or necessary for a responsibility-specific communication. 5. Employees are not expected to regularly check their email or phones off-hours. If a response is required to be done off-hours, to the greatest extent practicable, supervisors must explicitly state that expectation under what circumstances they will receive off-hours communication, the method or platform for such communication, and the rationale for the need for off-hours responses. Supervisors should work to provide as much advance notice of any need to work off-hours. Employees will not be disciplined for failing to respond to off-hour communications unless there is an explicit expectation or responsibility that requires responsivenessif they were unaware of the request for a response. When CPD communicates with an employee off-hours in a manner that requires a response it will be considered time working except for de minimis communication. More intrusive work-related communications by employees and supervisors (e.g., texting and phone calls) in the off-hours should generally be limited to those items that are time-sensitive or necessary for a responsibility-specific communication. Departments will work, with employees’ input, to develop practices that make sense for the demands for their teams, especially for rapid-response situations. Employees who have questions about expectations are encouraged to ask their supervisor. Employees who feel they experience a pattern of excessive or intrusive off-hour communications are encouraged to raise it directly with their supervisor, their supervisor’s supervisor, or HR.