LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 603.07 Telework Policy
 
Policy Category:  Administrative
Distribution Level:  Directly Operated
Responsible Party:  Human Resources
 
Reviewed and approved by Stanley Yen, Director of Human Resources, on Oct 21, 2025
 
I.  PURPOSE
 
To define the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) Routine and Emergency Telework Program and the procedures under which it will operate. Board Policy 9.090 authorizes all County departments to establish individualized teleworking programs to allow employees to work at an approved worksite other than the employee’s assigned work location. The Los Angeles County Telework Program was initially approved by the Board of Supervisors in 1990 to support the achievement of the County’s regional clean air and traffic mitigation goals. Telework has evolved to become a quintessential feature of the Workplace of the Future, which enhances employee well-being, creates flexible business operations, expedites delivery of services to the public, and prioritizes accountability and transparency. Telework has also become a critical component of the County’s emergency plan to ensure the continued provision of essential County services and enhance the safety of County employees during critical events.
The DMH Routine Telework Policy will align with Board Policy 9.090 while maintaining patient care and employees’ current duties and responsibilities. DMH will strive to create flexible business operations, promote operational efficiencies, and work towards enhancing employees’ well-being


DMH’S ROUTINE TELEWORK PROGRAM 
 

DMH’s Routine Telework Program is a pre-approved work schedule in which DMH employees perform the normal duties and responsibilities of their position at an alternate work location. This Policy is designed to guide managers, supervisors, and employees on the roles and responsibilities when participating in this program. 
 
II. DEFINITIONS
 
  1. Telework – A remote work option and a flexible work arrangement allowing County employees to perform the normal duties and responsibilities of their positions at an approved worksite (e.g., an employee’s home, field office, or alternate County or privately-owned facility) other than the location where the employee ordinarily works. 
     
  2. Routine Telework – A pre-approved, written arrangement in which an employee is regularly scheduled to perform the normal duties and responsibilities of their position at an alternate work location (i.e., an employee’s home, field office, or alternate County- or privately-owned facility). 
     
  3. Emergency Telework – Unlike routine telework, which is intended as a part of an employee’s regular work arrangement, emergency telework is an alternative arrangement that serves as a means for continuity of departmental operations and services and enhances the safety of County employees during an emergency event. An emergency event for the purposes of this policy includes natural disasters, acts of terrorism, public health emergencies, civil unrest, or other unforeseen situations that may impact employee safety or disrupt normal office operations and services. 
     
  4. Teleworker – An employee who has completed all Telework Program requirements, obtained approval from Department management, and engaged in regularly scheduled routine and/or Emergency Telework. 
     
  5. Telemanager – A teleworker’s immediate supervisor. 
     
  6. Telework Coordinator – The Administration Deputy or designee who is tasked with administrative oversight of the DMH Telework program. 
     
  7. Telework Location – An alternative work location, other than DMH employee's primary assigned office work location. It is a workspace that meets all the requirements established in the Telework Location Safety Checklist and which can be safely and effectively used to complete an employee's assigned tasks. 
     
  8. Primary Office Work Location – The DMH office or co-located space with another department where an employee is regularly assigned to work. 
III.  POLICY
 
  1. DMH’s Routine Telework Program is offered as a management option, not a universal employee benefit. (Board Policy 9.090). 
     
  2. Participation in DMH’s Routine Telework Program is a bilateral agreement between the supervisor (Telemanager) and the employee (Teleworker), which is based on the essential duties of the employee’s current position, and can be discontinued at management's discretion or by the employee at any time. 
     
  3. The Teleworker and Telemanager are required to complete the mandatory County Teleworker Training and the annual Countywide Cybersecurity Awareness Training prior to submission of the Telework Request and Agreement Form. 
     
  4. The Teleworker must request telework by completing the DMH Telework Request and Agreement Form in the Service Catalog. 
     
  5. The teleworker and their supervisor must complete, sign, and upload the Telework Acknowledgment Form and the Telework Location Safety Checklist when submitting the DMH Telework Request and Agreement Form in the Service Catalog. 
     
  6. The teleworker and their supervisor must complete the required Telework Training via TalentWorks and Countywide Cybersecurity Awareness Training. Uploading of the certificates in the Service Catalog will be required. 
     
  7. Approval to participate in DMH’s Routine Telework Program must be approved by their supervisor (or above) and the Division Chief (or designee). 
     
  8. Discontinuance or modification of routine telework requires a 10-day advanced written notice with the completion of the Telework Termination of Telework Form. The written notice must state the reason for the request unless there is an emergency or other immediate operational necessity. 
     
  9. Approval to participate in DMH’s Routine Telework Program, which is based on the essential duties of the employee’s current position, must first be approved by their supervisor (or above) and the Division Chief (or designee). 
     
  10. The Department Head or their designee has the discretion to designate which job functions are compatible with telework for both represented and non-represented employees. The decision whether a job function is telework compatible is based on the essential job duties of the position in the respective unit/program. 
     
  11. Telework approval can be granted when it aligns with operational needs and supports the overall needs of the unit/program. 
     
  12. The Telemanager may exercise their discretion on a case-by-case basis to allow for temporary exceptions to the Telework Agreement under unique circumstances (i.e., network outage, emergency events, etc.) and to support operational needs of the respective unit/program, if appropriate. 
     
  13. Ongoing participation in telework is at the discretion of management. Telework assignments approved in the DMH Telework Request and Agreement will be assessed on a regular basis by the Telemanager for ongoing suitability. 
     
  14. If there is a work-related matter that requires the Teleworker’s physical presence in the office work location, the Teleworker must report to the office in-person even if it would otherwise be a scheduled telework day. The Telemanager will provide reasonable notice whenever possible, however, if required, the Teleworker must report to the office within two hours without advance notice on any telework day unless other arrangements have been made with the Telemanager. 
     
  15. If an employee submits a request to renew participation in Routine Telework Program after previously discontinuing telework, all requirements as set forth in this Policy must be completed. 
     
  16. Management will make reasonable efforts to provide teleworking employees with materials and equipment necessary to support the employee’s ability to work remotely. This may include County-owned or County-approved equipment as determined and approved by management and is contingent on compliance with all County privacy personal-use standards. Maintenance of County-issued equipment will be a management responsibility. Teleworking employees can connect to DMH Microsoft applications using approved remote access software for communication to the network. 
     
  17. Telework does not change the terms and conditions of employment, duties, obligations, or responsibilities of the Teleworker and Telemanager. 
     
  18. The Department Telework Coordinator will be designated by the Office of the Administrative Deputy. The Telework Department Coordinator will prepare and submit reports about the DMH Telework Policy to the Board of Supervisors as required by Board Policy 9.090.
     
  19. The Department Telework Coordinator will receive and maintain, for a minimum of three (3) years, all telework documents and information including, but not limited to: 
     
    1. Detailed records of the number of DMH employees participating in the routine telework program. 
       
    2. Number of days per week each employee teleworks. 
       
    3. Records of signed telework documentation. 
IV.  PROCEDURES
 
Procedures - Telework Policy

 

EMERGENCY TELEWORK
 


Emergency telework, when activated, will supersede routine County telework policies and practices with the intent of supporting continuity of operations during an emergency event.

Emergency Telework can be activated during either anticipated events or during a sudden emergency. Anticipated events include evacuation due to fire or other events that give warning. Sudden emergency events can include natural disasters, acts of terrorism, civil unrest, pandemic health emergencies or other such events.

Emergency telework protocols may go into effect only after written notification from the Department’s executive management. Emergency telework may only be used by DMH employees with management approval when sufficient duties can be performed from an alternate worksite and the safety or health of the employees or the public would be compromised by reporting to their regular physical work location. Emergency telework may not be approved for personal reasons or any other reason unrelated to an organizational emergency event.

When emergency telework protocols are activated, routine telework requirements may be immediately suspended to allow the greatest level of flexibility and to ensure that the maximum number of staff are teleworking. Specific instructions regarding emergency telework will be provided upon activation of the protocols.

Termination of the emergency telework protocols will occur once the emergency event has been resolved to the point where employees are able to safely return to their customary work locations, as determined by management. Employees are to be informed in writing by the department that emergency telework arrangements are concluded and routine telework operations may resume.

For more information on the County’s Emergency Telework Protocols please contact DMH Telework Coordinator.

For more information on the County’s Emergency Telework Protocols visit: Emergency-Telework-Protocols_CEO.pdf (lacounty.gov)


 
V.  AUTHORITY
 
VI.  ATTACHMENTS