Office of Human Resources / Employment at NMU / Remote work
Remote work is how NMU operates. Whether you are joining the university or already part of our team, clear arrangements, dependable communication, and practical support help you work confidently from your approved location.
Your appointment or services agreement, together with your current remote-work record, identifies your approved work location, time zone, reporting contact, availability, and coverage arrangements. Review these details during onboarding and keep them current as responsibilities change.
Employees follow agreed schedules and report compensable work accurately, including work outside the planned schedule. Contractors follow the service commitments in their agreements. Online, asynchronous learning does not require continuous availability. Working arrangements account for breaks, rest, and approved leave.
Faculty workload includes preparation, assessment, student communication, advising, and dissertation responsibilities alongside other assignments. Raise capacity concerns early with academic leadership. For an overview of appointment types and written terms, visit Employment at NMU.
Agree on availability windows and state the relevant time zone when arranging meetings or setting deadlines. During active assignments, the handbook establishes the following expectations.
| Responsibility | Response or feedback period |
|---|---|
| Faculty replies to students during active instruction | Within 48 hours of receipt |
| Administrative replies | Within two business days |
| Routine coursework feedback | Within seven calendar days after submission |
| Substantial feedback on assigned dissertation submissions | Within seven business days after receipt by the assigned reviewer |
Replies should provide a substantive answer or explain the action underway and when a fuller response is expected. An automatic acknowledgment alone is insufficient. Full manuscripts or unusually extensive reviews may have a different schedule with prior Chief Academic Officer approval and advance notice to the student. Final grades follow the academic calendar.
Report anticipated delays to academic leadership so coverage and student expectations can be coordinated. Business days exclude weekends and published university closures; deadline notices must state the date and time zone.
Check your remote-work record for equipment ownership, approved personal-device use, connectivity needs, expense arrangements, and primary and backup technical contacts. These arrangements follow your role, approved written arrangements, and applicable requirements. Ask hr@newmeridianuniversity.org if you need help locating the record or the appropriate support contact.
Details on pay schedules, expense reimbursement, and leave eligibility are available in Appointments, Compensation, and Benefits.
Use approved systems, protect credentials, enable required multifactor authentication, and keep university information secure from household members and visitors. Do not move confidential records to personal email or unapproved storage. Enter confidential information into an AI service only when that specific use and its protections have been authorized.
Before working from another state, province, or country, including temporarily while travelling, request and obtain documented HR approval through hr@newmeridianuniversity.org. Include the proposed location, dates, and work activities.
HR checks whether existing arrangements cover the change and records any required updates. If an unexpected event forces a location change, report it as soon as practicable so interim arrangements can be made. The review concerns where university work is performed.
Follow the applicable leave or appointment procedure for planned absences. Report an unexpected absence, outage, or loss of access promptly through your designated reporting or support contact. If that route is unavailable, use the recorded backup contact or ask hr@newmeridianuniversity.org for assistance.
Explain which responsibilities are affected and share reasonable handover information when circumstances permit. Supervisors and academic leadership arrange appropriate coverage, including qualified academic coverage when needed. Employees are not routinely expected to work during approved leave.
Maintain a safe workspace and report work-related injuries, hazards, or accessibility needs to hr@newmeridianuniversity.org. HR can help with accommodation requests and appropriate workstation arrangements. Immediate threats to health or safety should go to local emergency services.
Immediately report information loss, unauthorized access, accidental disclosure, or suspected compromise to the designated technology contact and responsible records custodian. Include HR when personnel information is involved. Preserve relevant evidence and follow authorized instructions.
For routine support, tell HR your role, the assistance needed, and any relevant deadline. Request a secure submission method before sending medical records, banking details, or identity documents.
This page summarizes the Human Resources Policy Handbook, particularly Sections 7 and 12. HR can provide the current handbook and your applicable records.
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