The City of Terrace is implementing a new remote work policy that will allow exempt staff members to work remotely for up to one day per week or on an ad-hoc basis as needed.
Exempt staff are employees who are not a part of the union.
Proposed by Human Resources Manager Terry Williamson, the policy would remain voluntary for staff and will be implemented on a temporary, trial basis.
Mayor Sean Bujtas raised a concern during a discussion at the April 22 council meeting about the potential liabilities associated with the remote work policy. However, City Manager Maggie Hall clarified that the recently adopted working alone or in isolation policy would also apply to this new arrangement mitigating any associated risks.
The initial 90-day period will primarily focus on individual staff member arrangements to determine the policy’s overall effectiveness.
The scope of the policy, however, only applies to exempt staff, prompting a question by Councillor Downey about a potential complementary policy for unionized staff. Hall confirmed that Williamson is having discussions with the union regarding flexible working arrangements, such as a nine-day fortnite concept giving qualifying non-union employees and managers an “earned day off,” provided they work the equivalent of that day’s hours during the previous nine-day period, but have not yet determined a definitive path forward.
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Moved by councillor Zimmerman and seconded by Councillor Downey, the motion to allow the remote work policy was unanimously adopted in the council meeting of April 22, 2024.