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Polk County adopts revised telework and remote-work policy; out-of-state remote work barred
Summary
The Polk County Board of Commissioners approved a revised policy that distinguishes telework from remote work, adds an employee application and agreement, updates cybersecurity language and disallows out-of-state remote work.
The Polk County Board of Commissioners voted April 16 to adopt a revised telework and remote-work policy that clarifies the difference between occasional telework and fully remote work, requires an employee application and agreement, and limits remote work to within state boundaries.
Noel Hawkins, who presented the policy to the board, said the update recognizes "telework is an individual may be asked or may be able to occasionally work from home. Remote work would be that that's their assigned, workstation, if you will, would be their home." Hawkins said the county’s last formal update was in 2019 and the new policy also reflects recent changes in technology and cybersecurity.
Hawkins told the board an employee application and agreement will be required and must be approved and signed. He said the county will not permit out-of-state remote work, citing payroll and administrative complications: "We do not allow out of state, remote work ... due to it being a payroll nightmare that we are not prepared and able to take on."
A commissioner asked whether all department heads had reviewed the revisions; Hawkins replied, "It has not been given back by all department heads. No," and said he had discussed the policy specifically with Noel, the department most affected.
A commissioner moved to approve the revised telework/remote-work policy and another commissioner seconded. The board adopted the policy by voice vote; three commissioners signaled "aye" and the board chair declared the motion passes. Commissioners did not call for an executive session following the vote.
The policy change requires departments and affected employees to use the new application and agreement and adds updated IT and cybersecurity guidance developed with the county IT department. Hawkins said there are currently few fully remote employees but the policy is intended to align county practice with applicable law and operational needs.
The adoption did not include a department-wide implementation timeline in the meeting record; Hawkins said department-level review remains incomplete and the application/agreement process will be used to manage individual approvals.
