Committee adopts countywide remote-work policy with departmental discretion and administrator oversight

The Financial & Administrative Committee approved a new remote-work policy on March 5 that updates the county’s previous alternate work arrangement policy. County administration said the policy clarifies standards for remote work — including performance, productivity and supervisory expectations — and preserves department-head discretion while adding county administrator oversight to maintain organizational equity and inform space planning.

The policy establishes that remote work is an operational option, not a guarantee, and that some positions may be excluded because their duties require on-site presence. Administration said a directive beneath the policy will include operational details — such as the number of remote days for certain levels of positions, equipment provisions and any stipend guidance — and that departments participated in directive-level development. Committee members raised concerns about equity for on-site workers, potential pay/benefit disparities between remote and on-site roles, and whether there should be maximums on remote days; staff said those implementation details and monitoring plans will be finalized at the directive level and that the county administrator’s office will review consistency across departments.

The committee approved the policy by voice vote. Administration said it will share the directive and implementation guidance with the committee and departments.