Telework in Minnesota state service is governed by statewide policy, and the policy has changed in recent years, so always check the current version. Minnesota Management and Budget's telework policy states that telework is not an employee right or benefit, but a staffing arrangement at the discretion of the appointing authority. Under the current policy and its companion guidance, most executive branch employees may telework up to half of their scheduled workdays in a month, with more possible at agency discretion for people who live far from their work location. Employees and supervisors sign a telework schedule and acknowledgment, and supervisors and employees work out schedules based on business needs.
Telework can also be a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is a different pathway. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that changing where work is done may be a reasonable accommodation even if the employer does not allow other employees to telework, and that an employer may need to modify a telework policy for an employee with a disability. The employer can choose among effective accommodations, so telework is not the only possible answer, and the employer does not have to remove essential job functions. The Job Accommodation Network adds that telework as an accommodation should match what the disability actually requires, whether full-time or part-time. The statewide policy itself notes that an ADA reasonable accommodation acknowledgment can modify its provisions, and MMB's guidance says employees can request telework beyond the policy limit as an accommodation through their supervisor, HR or the agency ADA coordinator.
For supervisors, the key is to recognize the request and route it. If an employee says they need more telework because of a health condition or disability, that is an accommodation request, even if they do not use those words. Do not decide it on your own, do not ask for a diagnosis and do not tell the employee that policy caps are final. Connect them to the ADA coordinator or HR, take part in the interactive process and keep any medical information confidential.
Fairness also matters for everyone else. Apply the general telework policy consistently. Do not grant or deny ordinary telework based on who you trust more or who is more visible. And when a colleague has an accommodation, do not explain or discuss the reason with the team.
