Agencies should prioritize safety and consistency when delivering remote work supportive equipment, while striving to make necessary state equipment accessible to remote workers in accordance with agency policies.

Agency practices differ regarding equipment delivery and return mechanisms to support telework.

• Some agencies use contractors, while others use agency staff 
• Some agencies will deliver “over the threshold” of the employee’s residence entering their home, while others may not.
  • ADA Reasonable Accommodation: Even if it isn't your agency’s current practice to do over-the-threshold delivery, it may be necessary in order to accommodate the employee. If an employee has requested a reasonable accommodation, you must engage in an interactive process, in coordination with your ADA coordinator.

 Each agency should establish an agency-wide written internal process and be consistent within their organization, although we recognize that within your agency different divisions may have more specific processes and requirements. The recommendations below for what to include in your written process are informed by current internal practices at OFM and LNI.

Request Process:

Agencies should have a written process for employees to request permission to bring state equipment home and for how equipment will be returned.  The process should include a tracking mechanism for check out and return of items, in order to comply with the state requirement to track state assets and maintain an asset inventory that shows agency equipment, who it is assigned to, and the location. Consider records retention requirements as well.

Request Form: 

The agency should have a request form for employees to request permission to bring state equipment home, signature areas documenting appropriate approvals, specific equipment taken home/delivered, and if the equipment was delivered or if the employee collected it themselves. The form should also include a notice to the employee that if they request delivery, they are assuming some measure of risk related to having state equipment brought to their home.

Details:

Agencies should have a delivery work order form which includes the following information:

1. Date and time delivery scheduled
2. Employee name
3. Phone number to be used for the safety walk-thru call and on the day of delivery
4. Address for delivery
5. Description of the item to be delivered
6. Will the delivery be left outside or taken inside?
7. Description of the location inside the home where the item will be placed
8. Description of the route to be traversed to move the item from the vehicle to the interior location. Include any stairs, and a description of the surfaces to be traversed (paved, unpaved, carpeted, hard floor.)
9. Description of any set up or installation required to make the item operational
10. Name of delivery staff or delivery contractor

Planning for the delivery:

Facilities should schedule a video call with the employee to conduct a safety walk-thru using a mobile device allowing for live review of all spaces that will be entered by the delivery/return staff. The walk-thru will begin with where the delivery vehicle will park to the location the item to be delivered will be placed. Remind the employee that delivery staff will not move other items in the home—the space should be prepared ahead of time. Ask the employee to keep family members and pets away from the delivery staff.

Employee/Contractor conducting deliveries during public health crises

Over the threshold:

We recommend utilizing the DES Master contract if your agency decides to deliver or return equipment directly into or out of an employee’s home and must enter their residence to do so. Contracting this work minimizes agency liability, risk of injury or risk of property damage for agency employees and the state.

All personnel performing deliveries of equipment to employee residences, whether state employee or contractor, should follow the current safety recommendations required to enter state facilities when in the midst of public health crises. The delivery personnel should be responsible for:

• self-screening according to their employer’s established process
• physical distancing when required
• wearing masks or other protective equipment when required
• washing hands

• wearing gloves whenever handling the item(s) to be delivered and any time they are in the home where the delivery is occurring
• Cleaning and sanitizing the item being transported before loading into the transport vehicle.
• Any other safety measures required by local, state or federal organizations when the delivery occurs

Employees performing deliveries/returns:

If you use agency staff to perform the deliveries or returns, consider making it standard practice to send two staff to ensure safety for all parties.

A Word on Reasonable Accommodations:

If an employee has requested a reasonable accommodation, you must engage in an interactive process, in coordination with your ADA coordinator. Even if it isn't your agency’s current practice to do over-the-threshold delivery, it may be necessary in order to accommodate the employee. In these specific cases, even if your general policy does not support “over the threshold” delivery into someone’s home, you may need to provide in-home delivery and set-up support for that employee.