PURPOSE
Super Good Group (“the Company”) supports flexible work practices that assist staff to balance their work and personal lives. Remote working / working from home is an initiative that allows greater flexibility and balance between work and personal needs (such as family or caring responsibilities).

In certain circumstances it may also be necessary for the Company to request or require you to work remotely or from home, such as in the circumstances of the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of this policy is to identify the conditions employees must abide by when performing work remotely or from home, and how employees may apply for permission to work in this way. Any such arrangements must be approved in writing by the Company and in most circumstances the Company’s premises will remain your primary place of work.

Employers and employees have responsibilities under work health and safety laws to ensure that work is carried out safely. These rules also apply to remote working / working from home. Employees must act in accordance with the Company’s requirements and directions in respect of health and safety when working remotely or from home.

In so far as this policy imposes any obligations on the Company (ie those additional to those set out under legislation), those obligations are not contractual and do not give rise to any contractual rights. To the extent that this policy describes benefits and entitlements for employees (ie those additional to those set out under legislation), they are discretionary in nature and are also not intended to be contractual. The terms and conditions of employment that are intended to be contractual are set out in an employee’s written employment contract.

The Company may unilaterally introduce, vary, remove or replace this policy at any time.

DIRECTION FROM THE COMPANY FOR EMPLOYEES TO WORK REMOTELY OR TO WORK FROM HOME
In certain circumstances it may be necessary for the Company to request or require you to work remotely or from home, such as in the circumstances of the coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic.

Generally this will only be done after the Company has consulted with you and is satisfied that you are able to perform your role remotely.


REQUESTS TO WORK REMOTELY OR WORK FROM HOME FROM EMPLOYEES
All requests to work remotely or from home must be made in writing by the employee. Where the employee makes the request pursuant to a right to request flexible working in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (“the FW Act”) any request must be made in accordance with the relevant provisions of the FW Act, and the Company will consider the request and respond in accordance with the relevant provisions of the FW Act (see Flexible Working Policy).

Nothing in this policy affects employees or the Company’s rights and obligations under the FW Act and in the event of an inconsistency with the FW Act and this policy, the FW Act will prevail.

Factors that the Company will consider when considering a request to work remotely or from home include:

• The needs of the employee;
• The operational needs of the Company;
• The nature of the work and its suitability to a remote working or working at home arrangement;
• Potential positive or negative effects on the quality of work processes, practices and outcomes and the impact on work colleagues;
• Availability of equipment for use to facilitate working remotely or from;
• Any additional costs the Company will incur (eg equipment or insurance costs, etc).

WHEN AN EMPLOYEE’S REQUEST IS APPROVED
When a request to work remotely or from home is approved, an employee may be required to enter into a written Remote Working / Working from Home Agreement, this will generally specify:
• Whether the arrangements are on a temporary or ongoing basis, and if on a temporary basis how; long the arrangement will continue for;
• Where work must be performed from (eg from the employee’s home);
• The days / hours / occasions that the employee can perform work remotely or from home;
• Arrangements for how and when the employee will be contactable (eg they must be available to respond to mobile telephone calls and work emails within their normal work hours);
• All relevant workplace health and safety requirements relevant to the arrangement;
• What equipment the Company will provide for the arrangement (if any);
• Any expenses the Company will reimburse the employee for in respect of the arrangement (eg equipment);
• Any other relevant terms.

The Company reserves the right to suspend or terminate a Remote Working / Working from Home Agreement at any point for operational or any other reasons.

EXPECTATIONS WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE WORKING REMOTELY OR WORKING FROM HOME
Employees working remotely or from home remain subject to relevant Company policies and procedures. Employees working remotely or from home are responsible for maintaining a safe work environment.

Employees should ensure that when they work from home or remotely that they are available to be contacted throughout the work day, except for authorized breaks. If an employee will be for some reason uncontactable they should inform their manager in advance.

Employees are required to work their usual work pattern when working remotely or from home. Such a working arrangement does not permit the employee to have any greater flexibility regarding their hours of work (unless such an arrangement has been approved by the Company)

The Company may require the employee to attend the Company’s premises (or any other location) at its discretion during the period of a Remote Working / Working from Home Agreement – for example, for meetings, training, etc.

INSURANCE
Employees should be aware that the Company does not insure any employee owned equipment, furniture or other property used when an employee works remotely or from home

INJURY, ILLNESS & OTHER INCIDENTS
Where an employee has been approved to work remotely or from home and the employee becomes ill, the employee must comply with the usual reporting of absence due to illness. Where an employee is injured while working remotely or from home they must report the injury to the Company immediately. The employee should also report any other relevant incidents to the Company immediately (security issues, theft of Company property, etc).

INTERACTION WITH OTHER ENTITLEMENTS
Should an employee request in advance to work from home in accordance with this policy, and subsequently provide a representation that they require absence due to illness or injury, appropriate notice is required in accordance with the Leave Policy.
BREACHES OF THIS POLICY
A breach of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
OTHER POLICIESEmployees and staff are encouraged to read this policy in conjunction with other relevant Company policies, including:
• Flexible Working Policy