FLEXIBLE WORK AGREEMENT OVERVIEW

Staff have the right to request a Flexible Work Agreement (FWA) through a clear, enforceable process, guaranteed by our new union contract here! This process also applies when the University proposes a change to an existing FWA. This process includes the right for you and your supervisor to establish mutually agreed upon, informal work schedule adjustments.

Frequently Asked Questions:

    • The University agreed to maintain the current status of individual active flexible work agreements that were in effect at the time our contract was ratified (March 20, 2026). Changes to any active FWA must go through the process outlined in our contract. 

  • Yes! A formal agreement is not required when an employee and supervisor mutually agree to a non-precedent setting, or ad hoc work schedule adjustment.

  • If you live more than 50 miles from campus and choose to resign from the University due to the change in on-site requirements from a fully remote status, the separation will be considered a layoff, and you would thus be eligible for either severance or preferential rehire as established in our contract.

  • If you live more than 50 miles from campus and then agree to relocate as a result of the FWA change, you are eligible for reimbursement of up to $3,000 of moving expenses, subject to the rules set forth in Presidential Policy G-13.

If UC management tries to change your Flexible Work Agreement 

Management often makes changes to the flexible work agreements of multiple employees at once. If you have received a notice of a change to your FWA, reach out to your coworkers and ask whether they have also been affected. If you think the University hasn’t met the standards established in our contract, fill out our union’s Workplace Issue Reporting Form, and a peer union representative from your campus will then reach out to discuss the situation.

Management must provide written notice at least 45 days prior to any intended changes to an employee’s flexible work agreement. The notice must include justification for and duration of the intended changes. The changes cannot be arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory, and must be applied consistently to employees who perform similar work. 

FWA changes can be appealed to your supervisor, who needs to meet within 15 days to discuss the modification, and provide a written response within 30 days of the meeting. Note that the appeal process does not extend the implementation of the FWA modification.  

  • Hi [name of supervisor],

    As you know, I have been a [remote/hybrid] employee for [length of time]. On [date] you provided notice that my flexible work agreement would change to [new schedule]. I would like to appeal this modification of my flexible work agreement. 

    Of particular concern [detail reason modification does not work for employee]

    [*Optional:  Additionally, in light of the above, I would like to request an extension to the change in my flexible work agreement to start no earlier than [date/condition].]

    Best, 

    [Your name]

FWA modifications for 20 workers or more: 

If the FWA change affects at least 20 workers, management must notify our union at least 90 days in advance and negotiate over the effects of these more far reaching policy changes. If your situation may affect 20 or more of your coworkers, but you are not aware of any ongoing bargaining, management may have failed to notice our union. Please submit a Workplace Issue Reporting Form to talk with a peer union representative about the situation.

For employees more than 50 miles from worksite: 

Our contract provides additional protections and benefits for workers with agreements for permanent flexible work status and for whom working on site would require relocation (defined as living at least 50 miles from the assigned worksite). When management directs these workers to start working at a worksite, they must provide workers with at least 120 days advance notice. If you choose to relocate as a result of this directive, you are eligible for relocation expense reimbursement up to $3000. Alternatively, workers can instead choose to resign and receive layoff benefits (i.e. severance) as a result of the return to office directive. These additional benefits do not apply if a worker is directed to work on site based on documented performance concerns or corrective action.

If you want to request or adjust your Flexible Work Agreement

If you want to establish a new flexible work agreement or initiate modifications to your existing agreement, our contract guarantees your right to request these changes and establishes timelines and standards for the University to respond to those requests. As with management-initiated changes, decisions regarding FWAs cannot be arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory, and must reflect consistent application across workers in the same department with similar roles.

Think about the type of flexible work agreement that you want, and how you might discuss and justify these changes, then use the template below to request a meeting with your supervisor. 

You are entitled to a meeting with your supervisor within 15 days, followed by a written response within 30 days. If you think the University hasn’t met the standards outlined above, you should promptly submit a Workplace Issue Reporting Form. A peer union representative from your campus will reach out to discuss your situation.

  • Hello [supervisor name],

    Our new contract for staff in my job title was ratified on March 20th, 2026, and provides a process and timeline for a Flexible Work Agreement (FWA) request (Article 06, Section B). This email is my formal request for [insert details of the FWA you are requesting]. 

    I’m making this request based on [insert your rationale]. I am confident this new arrangement will improve [insert how it will improve your work and/or your personal life].

    Thank you for your time and attention, I look forward to your response.

    Best,

    [your name]