Remote Work Policy (US) by OLL
This remote and hybrid work policy establishes eligibility, location requirements, and expense reimbursement rules for a US-based workforce. It includes specific compliance modules for California, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, and Delaware, while maintaining the at-will nature of employment.
REMOTE AND HYBRID WORK POLICY
[company legal name]
Note: This policy covers fully remote, hybrid, and occasional remote working in a US business. Complete Exhibit A before you circulate it, and complete Exhibit B for every state your people work in. The two sections that cause the most trouble in practice are Section 6 on hours and overtime and Section 9 on expenses: read those before you change anything else.
1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
1.1 Purpose. This policy sets out how [company legal name] (the "Company") manages remote and hybrid working: who is eligible, where and when you may work, what equipment and expenses the Company covers, and the security and safety expectations that apply away from a Company office.
1.2 Who it applies to. This policy applies to all Company employees in the United States who work remotely for all or part of their schedule. It does not apply to independent contractors, whose arrangements are governed by their own agreements.
1.3 Not a contract. This policy is not a contract of employment and does not create one. It does not change the at-will nature of employment, and the Company may change or withdraw it at any time, with or without notice, except where applicable law requires otherwise.
1.4 Other policies. This policy sits alongside the Company's other policies, including its information security, expense, equal opportunity, and anti-harassment policies. Where this policy conflicts with a written agreement signed by an authorized Company officer, that agreement prevails.
Note: Keep clause 1.3. A policy written in promissory language can be read as an implied contract in several states, which is how an employer ends up owing a remote work arrangement it intended to be discretionary. Montana is a further reason to be careful: it is the one state where employment is not at will after the probationary period, so if you employ anyone in Montana, confirm how clause 1.3 should read there.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 Remote. You work from an Approved Work Location full time and are not expected to attend a Company office on a regular schedule.
2.2 Hybrid. You split your time between a Company office and an Approved Work Location, attending the office on the days set out in Exhibit A.
2.3 Occasional remote. You are office-based and work remotely now and then with your manager's agreement.
2.4 Approved Work Location. The specific address the Company has approved for your remote work under Section 4. A coffee shop, an airport, or a friend's apartment is not an Approved Work Location unless your manager has approved it for a defined period.
Note: Approving an address rather than a city is deliberate. Workers' compensation cover, home office safety expectations, and in some states the tax and payroll position all attach to a specific place. It also gives you a clear answer when someone asks whether they can work from a rental in another state for a month.
3. ELIGIBILITY AND APPROVAL
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About this template
What is this template?
This document is a formal HR policy governing remote and hybrid work arrangements rather than an individual employment contract. It contains specific legal supplements for five states and an Exhibit A for defining core hours, equipment provisions, and expense models. It is not an independent contractor agreement and expressly excludes those workers from its scope.
When should you use it?
Use this policy when establishing a standardized framework for US employees to work away from the office while ensuring compliance with state-level reimbursement and monitoring notices. For individual project-based work with non-employees, use an Independent Contractor Agreement instead.
What's inside
| Clause | Name | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Purpose and Scope | Defines the policy as a non-contractual document that does not alter the at-will nature of employment for US employees. |
| 2.4 | Approved Work Location | Restricts work to a specific approved address and excludes coffee shops or airports without prior manager approval. |
| 4 | Work Location and Changes of Location | Requires a minimum number of days notice to the Human Resources contact before an employee changes their primary work state. |
| 5 | Working Hours and Availability | Provides options for either a core hours window in a specific time zone or a set schedule model. |
| 6 | Timekeeping, Overtime, and Breaks | Obliges non-exempt employees to record all time worked and mandates payment for overtime regardless of prior approval status. |
| 9 | Expenses and Reimbursement | Offers a choice between reimbursing actual necessary business expenses or providing a fixed monthly remote work allowance. |
| 10 | Information Security and Confidentiality | Mandates the use of multi-factor authentication, secured private networks, and approved password managers while working remotely. |
| 11 | Privacy and Monitoring | Disclaims employee privacy expectations in Company systems while prohibiting always-on webcam or microphone monitoring. |
| 14 | Accommodations | Establishes the process for requesting adjustments due to disability, pregnancy, or religious practices under federal and state law. |
Who it's for
- a US company managing a workforce across multiple states with different reimbursement and monitoring laws
- an employer seeking to formalize core hours or set schedules for remote and hybrid staff
- a business requiring documented employee acknowledgement of electronic monitoring for New York or Delaware compliance
- a US employer maintaining at-will employment status while offering discretionary remote work benefits
How long it runs and how it's signed
Law it's drafted under
United States note
This version is drafted for US law generally. Contract, employment and consumer rules vary by state — for example on non-competes and at-will employment. Tell GitLaw which state applies and it adjusts the draft.
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