Write a Remote-Work Agreement That Makes Expectations Clear

All Remote Work Desk Editorial Desk

Remote arrangements can become difficult when people make different assumptions: a manager who expects replies within ten minutes, an employee who assumed Fridays were flexible, a broken monitor nobody agreed to replace. A written remote-work agreement exists to surface those assumptions while everyone is still on good terms.

Federal telework guidance offers examples of issues to document, but it is not a template for private employment law. OPM's December 2025 guide describes restrictive federal eligibility rules and written agreements for approved arrangements; an agreement alone does not create a right to work remotely. The practical headings below can help a private team discuss an arrangement its employer permits.

What the agreement should cover

OPM's current guide covers the approved location, work duties and schedule, communication, equipment and expenses, emergency expectations, and modification or termination. For a private team, fill those headings with specifics, add the relevant safety and security policies, and agree on a review date. Both people should have the same signed, dated version. Revisit it when duties, location, equipment or management change.

Location. Name the primary work address and say whether working from elsewhere, such as another state or country, needs approval. Ask HR to review a proposed change before work starts there, including any pay, tax, security or employment requirements.

Schedule and availability. Distinguish between hours worked and hours reachable. A line like core collaboration hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern, with the rest of the day flexible, is far clearer than a promise to be responsive. Add expected response times by channel, such as same business day for email.

How work is judged. OPM states that performance standards for teleworkers must match those for non-teleworking employees. That principle is worth adopting everywhere. Point to the same goals or review process used for office-based colleagues, so remote status is never a reason to measure someone differently.

Equipment and costs. List what the employer provides, what the employee supplies, who pays for repairs and what happens to equipment if the arrangement ends. If internet costs are reimbursed, say how.

Security and confidentiality. Reference the company's security policy and any specific expectations, such as using the company VPN or keeping work data off personal devices.

Hours, breaks and pay

For employees covered by the FLSA and not exempt from its overtime protections, the agreement should explain how all work time is recorded. The Department of Labor's guidance on hours worked under the Fair Labor Standards Act says that work an employer suffers or permits must be paid even if nobody requested it, and that short rest breaks, generally 20 minutes or less, are customarily counted as paid time. Remote work makes unrecorded evening emails easy to overlook, so say how employees report that time and whether after-hours work needs approval. Requiring advance approval for overtime does not by itself make time already worked unpaid. State and local rules can add requirements, so confirm this section with HR or employment counsel.

When things go wrong

Describe what happens during a power or internet outage: whether the employee should switch to a phone, move to another location, take leave or report to an office, and who to notify. OPM also expects agreements to address emergency telework, such as when an office closes for weather.

Finally, state how changes or termination will be handled and what notice applies under the employer's policies and relevant law. Ask HR to check the wording, especially where disability accommodations, contracts or collective agreements are involved. Do not promise that an individual agreement prevents a future return-to-office requirement.

A hypothetical example

Suppose a small marketing agency writes a one-page agreement for a designer working from home four days a week. It lists the home address and requires approval for working abroad. It sets core hours and a same-day reply expectation for client messages. The agency supplies a laptop and monitor; the designer supplies a desk and internet, with a fixed monthly internet reimbursement. Outages longer than an hour are reported to the studio manager by phone, and the agreement is reviewed in six months. Each line answers a question that might otherwise have been argued about later.

Tradeoffs to weigh

More detail can answer useful questions, but length alone does not prevent disputes and unnecessary detail can become outdated. A good balance is a short individual agreement that links to company-wide policies for security, expenses and conduct, so only personal details need updating. Be wary of clauses requiring constant webcam presence or instant replies unless the job truly demands them; they tend to measure visibility rather than output.

A remote-work agreement is not a legal shield or a substitute for a conversation. It is a record of the conversation, written down so both people remember it the same way. If any part touches pay, taxes or employment law, have it reviewed by someone qualified in your jurisdiction.

Sources

U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Guide to Telework and Remote Work in the Federal Government, December 2025: https://www.opm.gov/telework/documents-for-telework/2025-guide-to-telework-and-remote-work.pdf U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Do I need a telework agreement before I can telework?: https://www.opm.gov/frequently-asked-questions/telework-faq/telework-eligibility/do-i-need-a-telework-agreement-before-i-can-telework/ U.S. Department of Labor, Fact Sheet #22: Hours Worked Under the Fair Labor Standards Act: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/22-flsa-hours-worked