Agreement between BT operator services
and the UCW on the teleworking experiment at Inverness
20 January 1992
Contents:
Introduction
BT is investigating Teleworking with a view to encouraging
major business customers to make better use of their most important resource,
their people. The Teleworking experiment at Inverness will provide a fully
operational Teleworking system to illustrate the work and social requirements
of Teleworkers. Operator Services has identified and discussed fully with
the UCW the implications of running the Inverness Teleworking experiment
with Operators from the Inverness Directory Assistance Centre. This agreement
has been concluded between Operator Services and the UCW for the Inverness
experiment only and is without prejudice to any other agreement which the
company may wish to erect in the future.
Terms and conditions of employment
There will be no change to pay, hours of work, annual
leave entitlement, superannuation arrangements or other employment conditions
unless detailed below. A contract variation (Appendix A) will be issued
for the period of Teleworking.
Period of Teleworking
The experiment is to commence early in 1992 and will last for a period of 12 months. Volunteers will be sought from amongst the Inverness Directory Assistance Centre. Once accepted to partici-pate in the experiment , each individual volunteer should commit to completing the 12 month period although it is. possible to withdraw from the experiment at any time.
On completion of the experiment (or earlier if the
individual chooses to withdraw) the Teleworkers will return to their pre-
vious posts within the Inverness Directory Assistance Centre .
Teleworkers will receive details of job opportunities, general notices etc and may apply and be considered for posts on an equal basis with those who are not Teleworking- Appraisal, counselling and training processes will continue to apply- Should it be necessary, an appointment to a post can be delayed until completion of the experiment so that the Teleworker will not forego that opportunity.
Continuity of service
Service with the employer (BT) continues unchanged
throughout the period of the experiment.
For the period of the experiment, the Teleworker's place of work will be his/her home- It will be necessary to visit the Inverness DA centre, for which reasonable travelling expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with existing travel and subsistence conditions.
BT will provide a separate telephone line and will meet the cost of rental and call charges incurred on that line- All equipment necessary to enable the Teleworkinq contract to be performed from home will be supplied by BT- Such equipment shall at all times remain the property of BT and will be recovered when the Tele- working ceases.
BT will pay for the insurance of all company equipment
used at home and accident insurance cover under either the Personal Accident
Insurance scheme or Injury compensation Scheme- The Teleworker should ensure
that their building/contents insurance(s) are not invalidated by the use
of the home as a place of work, or by the storage/use of BT equipment-
written evidence of this should be confirmed to the line Manager, for which
purpose a sample letter is shown at Appendix B-
Safety
BT and the Teleworker share joint legal responsibility
under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure that that part of
the Teleworker's home which is used as their place of work is at all times-.maintained
in a safe condition.
Additional expenditure
BT is seeking to agree tax allowances with the Inland
Revenue for heating and lighting costs. In the meantime any additional
reasonable expenditure incurred (as far as that can be demonstrated) will
be compensated for.
Visits to the home of the Teleworker will be necessary
both before, during and on completion of the experiment. Access to the
home will only be with the permission of the Teleworker.
Duty to work
It is for the Teleworker to take all reasonable steps to ensure that work is completed properly and securely in accordance with the standards which would apply at the Inverness DA Centre.
Appendix A - Contract variation for teleworking
NAME:
GRADE:
JOB TITLE:
Further to our discussions on working from home,
I am now offering you a variation of contract on the following terms and
conditions:
1. From .................... you will be working from home. This arrangement may be terminated at any stage by BT or by the employee.
2. There will be no change to pay, hours of work, annual leave entitlement, superannuation arrangements or other employment conditions unless detailed below. Details for your grade of ................... are given in the Employee Terms and Conditions publication.
3. BT will supply you with the necessary equipment that may be reasonably required to enable the contract to be performed from home. All equipment shall at all times remain the property of BT and will be recovered when you cease working from home. All equipment supplied by BT for use at home, will be insured by the company.
4. BT will provide a telephone business line for business use which will be paid for by the Company. 5 You should note that you have responsibility for your own safety in your home and to ensure that at all times you work in a safe condition- You will accordingly be required to comply with all relevant safety guidelines/instructions and to satisfy BT that you have done so.