Frequently Asked Questions

On Wednesday, June 29, the following message was shared with all staff and AAPs regarding the mode of work designation process:

Subject: Update on Mode of Work Designation Process

Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Dear Georgetown University Staff and AAPs,

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication, flexibility and adaptability of our staff and AAP colleagues these past two years that have enabled the university to continue its mission and operations amidst the most challenging circumstances during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This past year, to provide as much flexibility as possible to balance operational needs with the needs and circumstances of our community, we introduced a new “mode of work” approach, with all employees receiving a designation as “on-campus,” “hybrid”, or “telework” for the 2021-22 academic year.

After receiving a strong response to our university-wide Mode of Work Survey (new window), administered and analyzed by the Office of Assessment & Decision Support, we write today to share an update on our approach to mode of work designations going forward. In our message about work modes, last year, this next step was  referred to as Phase II of our “Return to Campus” framework (new window), to be rolled out at the conclusion of the 2021-22 academic year.

Mode of Work Process and Designations

Over the coming weeks, campus leadership teams will review position rosters in consultation with the Department of Human Resources (HR) and make final work mode designations in all position descriptions. 

HR will notify staff/AAP employees of their work mode designation by email no later than August 1, 2022. 

All staff and AAP employees will receive one of the following mode of work designations:

• On-Campus: Employees will work on campus during all of their regularly scheduled work days. Employees with this designation who have not already been on campus regularly should discuss with their manager the date they are expected to return to campus full time.

• Hybrid: Employees will work on campus some days each week and telework on other days. Instead of a “Hybrid 1/2/3/4” designation, the university will use a more flexible general hybrid designation, with the expectation that units and managers will have explicit conversations with employees about schedules, the average number of on-campus days per week/month for the employee and periods where work needs may necessitate more days in the office or vice versa. After designation, a telework agreement will be delivered to the employee’s GMS inbox for their review and acknowledgement.

• Telework: Employees will telework full time, though they may need to come to campus intermittently. As a reminder, telework employees must reside in a location where the university is approved as an employer (new window). After designation, a telework agreement will be delivered to the employee’s GMS inbox for their review and acknowledgement.

Additional Support

In addition to codifying mode of work into position descriptions, we will also be working to address some of the helpful feedback provided in the Mode of Work survey about supporting the most effective and efficient work across our different modes, including:

• Standardizing and improving access to technology for existing and new hybrid employees.
• Securing an enterprise license for Adobe Acrobat Pro to make these services more available to our employees. 
• Continuing to expand our list of approved teleworking states to build on the 23 states currently covered (new window).

Our partners in HR and University Information Services (UIS) will provide updates on these efforts in the coming months.

Thank you again for providing the valuable feedback that has informed our new approach to mode of work, and for all of your contributions to our university community.

Sincerely,

David Green, Interim Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Robert M. Groves, Provost

Edward B. Healton, Executive Vice President for Health Sciences

William M. Treanor, Executive Vice President and Dean of the Law Center

While Phase II mode of work designations and policies are intended to be final going forward, the university will continue to monitor the public health situation and work mode issues to address necessary changes as they arise.

An employee who requires a reasonable accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job may request accommodation through the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action (IDEAA). Requests for accommodations should be made by filling out this form (new window) or contacting IDEAA at ideaa@georgetown.edu (new window). Information about IDEAA’s accommodation process is available here (new window).

You should first discuss your work mode designation with your manager. If you would like to further discuss your work mode designation with HR, the Client Services (new window) team is available to answer any questions.

New telework processes and guidelines will be shared ahead of the 2022-23 academic year. HR will be reaching out to hybrid and telework employees with these new policy agreements as we approach the beginning of the academic year.

Employees can learn more about transportation and commuting options, including parking and Georgetown University Transportation Shuttles (GUTS), on the Office of Transportation Management (OTM) website (new window).