Over the past few months Local 15 has seen an increase in the number of inquiries regarding the handling of inter-net and equipment issues from employees who are working remotely. As the impact of working remotely was unknown at onset of the pandemic, the Company agreed (as part of the Covid-19 Emergency Agreement that was signed on March 19th, 2020) to reimburse employees for any increases in data or internet costs which resulted from employees working from home. It has come to Local 15’s attention that some supervisors have been telling employees who have experienced technical or equipment issues that they need to upgrade their internet and/or replace their personal equipment (modem, etc.) to resolve these issues and have been telling employees that these reimbursements for increases in data usage resulting from working from home are limited to a "one-time only" basis. This is incorrect. Provisions of the contract remain in place during the pandemic period and continue to apply to employees who are working remotely.
Any questions regarding reimbursement for data or internet usage or any other issues related to working remotely should be directed to your Steward ASAP. Don’t wait to seek reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses you may have incurred during this period!