Evaluación

1. The [organization] is committed to the growth of homeworking where this is both feasible and welcomed by those concerned.

2. Those wishing to be considered for this type of work should register this interest with [specify].

3. Homeworkers need to be able to make a room in their house (the homebase) avail-able for use as an office/workshop for the [organization] on a dedicated basis. To compensate for this use the [organization] will make a payment of [sum].

4. In the event that a homebase can only be made available on a dedicated basis after some works and/or expenditure, the [organization] will consider making an advance (recoverable by agreed deductions from subsequent payments to the homeworker) to fund such works.

5. The employee will be required to commit to working a set number of hours per [day/week/ month] for an agreed sum although the hours can be varied to suit the requirements of home and office. The employee, however, must be available for core hours which are [specify].

6. The homeworker will be required to sign an agreement which will cover the items set out in this policy and any further items specific to the individual.

7. To set up the homebase the [organization] will provide the following equipment [specify]

and pay for the cost of installing renting and using dedicated telephone line(s).

[Details of equipment]

The employee is required to add the value of this equipment [specify] to their home contents insurance policy, notifying the insurers that their house is being used for restricted business purposes. The insurers should be required to note the interest of the [organization] as owner of the equipment on the policy. Any additional insurance

premium can be re-charged to the organization on the first timesheet. This should be accompanied by evidence that the value of the items has been added to the policy and the insurers are aware of the business use.

8. The homeworker will be required to agree a schedule of work from time to time and to report on the work done. Such reports should accompany timesheets which should be submitted on a weekly basis. These reports will include details of all [calls made]

and a précis of the response.

9. The [organization] reserves the right to visit the premises from time to time to allo-cate and collect work, assess the performance of the homeworker etc.

10. Other than necessary changes to hours, place of work etc the provisions of the employee’s contract of employment will continue in force until termination in accor-dance with that contract.

11. The homeworker will be required to report personally to the organization premises on a [weekly/monthly] basis. Costs of such travel and time can be claimed on the next subsequent timesheet.

12. If work/material/goods are given to the homeworker for transport to the homebase (or elsewhere), they will be provided with a letter of authority to ensure Security allow them to pass with such goods.

13. The homebase will be subject to the [organization’s] SAFETY Policy and Procedure and the homeworker will be expected to undertake any works required to meet these obligations (at the employer’s expense). Visual display and computer workstations will be checked initially [and at six monthly intervals] for ease of use and compli-ance with legal requirements.

14. On termination of the homeworking arrangement, the homeworker will return all equip-ment and material provided by the [organization] within seven days of the termination.

The [organization] will deal with the cancellation of any telephone line(s), Internet connection etc. Should return of the equipment not be effected within the above period the homeworker expressly grants to the employer by this agreement a right of access (subject to three hours notice between 9.00am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday) to the homebase, in order to recover such equipment.

Since the employee’s home is now a workplace, Employers Liability (EL) insur-ance may need to be extended to cover the location, and there may be a requirement to post a copy of the certificate in the house. In addition, a risk assessment should be compiled.

Agreement

The advantage of delineating a policy is that those interested in the possibility of homeworking can immediately gain an outline of what the requirements will be. An agreement should be concluded and, if the homeworker is an employee, they should also have a contract of employment.

Example of agreement

This Agreement is made this [date] between [parties – ‘homeworker’ and

‘employer’ or ‘client’] with the purpose of controlling the arrangement by which the homeworker undertakes to carry out work and duties for the [organiza-tion – ‘the organiza[organiza-tion’] at [address of homeworking base] with effect from [commencing date] and is additional to and does not infringe in any way the Contract of Employment between the parties dated [date].

The homeworker agrees that they will:

a) provide a room (the ‘homebase’) at the above address which will be [solely] used for the work of the employer. If the property is not owned by the homeworker, the homeworker will obtain permission of the owner to the arrangement and produce this to the employer before commencement. Failure to do so may negate this agreement. Should such permission be withdrawn subsequently, the employer must be notified within seven working days.

b) carry out the duties set out in the schedule hereto for a minimum of [hours per week/month] on the terms set out in the [contract of employment]

c) allow reasonable access to the homebase during normal business hours to the employer and their staff for the purposes of supervision, training etc.

d) staff the homebase for the express purposes of [taking orders, sourcing customers, etc] for at least [number] hours per working day including between [specified times which will be regarded as core times when the homebase should always be staffed] and when not present ensure the fax and answerphone are available to callers. All messages left by answerphone, fax or e-mail must be acknowledged personally by the homeworker within three working hours

e) not use the equipment provided by the employer for any purpose other than for the services covered by this agreement and not use any computer disks in that equipment other than those supplied by the employer

f) ensure the equipment (as confirmed in the attached schedule) is added to the domestic contents insurance policy at the premises and provide evidence to the employer that this has been done and that the interest of the employer has been noted and of each renewal of the cover g) provide a weekly time and expense account (a draft of which is included

in the attached schedule)

h) keep the homebase tidy and in a safe condition, complying with any safety requirements imposed by the employer

i) within seven days of the termination of this agreement either return all the employer’s equipment, files, papers etc, or, subject to receipt of three working hours notice, allow access to the employer to recover such items. It is expressly agreed by the parties that failure to allow access for such purpose will generate a County Court action by the employer to recover the equivalent value of the equipment as set out in the Schedule hereto

j) keep the homebase decorated to a reasonable standard so that this is appropriate for regular supervision, as well as occasional customer visits.

The costs of such work (since it enhances their domestic property) will be met by the employee and deemed to be included within the [weekly fee].

The homeworker hereby also undertakes that they do not know of any reason why they should not be able to work from the premises using the homebase for these purposes.

The employer agrees that it will:

a) provide suitable equipment (as set out in the attached Schedule) for the homeworker to arrange installation, the costs of which (to a maximum of £X) it agrees to meet

b) refund the cost of insuring the equipment

c) refund the costs of additional telephone lines and internet access required for the employer’s work

d) pay the homeworker the sum of [£Z] each [week/month] for the use of the homebase

e) extend Employer’s Liability insurance to cover the homebase.

The parties agree that this agreement will last for [six months] and thereafter it will be subject to one party giving to the other of not less than four clear weeks notice in writing by recorded delivery using the addresses stated in the intro-duction to this agreement for this purpose.

SCHEDULE

1. Duties: The duties to be carried out by the homeworker are [specify].

2. Equipment and services to be provided by the employer are: [For example: desk, chair, footstool, computer, printer, fax machine and ancillary telephone line, modem connection and telephone line, access to Internet].

3. For the purpose of insurance the value of the equipment set out in 2 immediately above is [£Y]

Signed [by both parties, dated and witnessed]