Telecommuting

Updated June 2026

The College is committed to prioritizing our academic mission, ensuring consistent and accountable service aligned with state policy, and strengthening the on-campus presence and culture that best support our students, community, and shared work. Accordingly, planned, recurring (regular) telecommuting is not generally permitted at the College. In rare cases where a business case exception is requested by a division head and approved by the President, regular telecommuting will be limited to no more than two days per week and must comply with policy requirements. 

Telecommuting for more than two days per week may only be permitted if the President determines that an exception is warranted and the request for an exception is approved by the Division of State Human Resources (DSHR) and the Governor or the Governor’s designee.  

Any planned, recurring (regular) telecommuting requires a formal agreement between the employee and the College, and the time telecommuting must be tracked and reported. 

In rare cases where telecommuting is necessary, division heads are responsible for submitting a telecommuting application form, telecommuting applications will only be available through division heads, which provides the business case for any employee who must work remotely. The President will make the final decision on requests for telecommuting. If approved, the telecommuting application form will be routed to the employee as the final step in the process. The form includes an acknowledgement of policy requirements along with a safety checklist that must be completed and signed by the employee.  

For the full Telecommuting Policy, please click here.  Supervisors may also wish to review and access the flexible work schedule request and guidelines.

Requirements for Telecommuting

Pursuant to the new policy, the following requirements for telecommuting must be met: 

  • Telecommuting is a management option and not a universal employee benefit. Regular telecommuting is not permitted at the College unless authorized by the President. Division heads may submit limited requests for a business case exception to the President for consideration. 
  • Approval of a telecommuting arrangement must not be based on the preference of the employee or treated as a benefit for employees. This policy is not designed to suit a desired lifestyle or personal preference. 
  • Division heads are required to present a business case justification for approval by the President or designee for each proposed telecommuting agreement. 
  • Regular telecommuting is limited to no more than two days per week. 
  • An employee is not permitted to telecommute on:
    • Both Monday and Tuesday
    • Thursday and Friday or
    • Friday and the following Monday as part of a regular telecommuting arrangement. 
  • An employee must have completed one year of satisfactory employment with the College to be considered for an exception. This requirement may be waived if determined necessary by the President and approved by the Division of State Human Resources (DSHR) and the Governor or the Governor's designee.
  • Employees subject to a warning period of substandard performance or performance improvement plan or those who were recently (within the preceding 12 months) subject to disciplinary action are not eligible for telecommuting.
  • The President may designate a position as telecommuting only, if approved by the Division of State Human Resources (DSHR) and the Governor or the Governor's designee. 
  • The College's President and their executive staff are not permitted to telecommute. This includes employees who report directly to the President.
  • Must meet all other terms and conditions as outlined in the Telecommuting Policy and Telecommuting Agreement. 

Out-of-State Telecommuting

Telecommuting from out-of-state is generally not permitted. However, rare exceptions may be granted where the division head submits a business case which describes the operational necessity for the College along with evidence of direct cost savings and increased efficiencies for the College that is approved by the President and the State. 

Current out-of-state telecommuting agreements approved as an exception by the State and authorized by the President (as of June 16, 2026) will remain effective until they are modified by the Division Head or President. 

The following states have been designated as "prohibited" due to significant differences in their employment laws compared to South Carolina, which poses a risk to the College. 

Employees may not telecommute from the states listed below unless their role or position explicitly requires it and/or an exception has been authorized by the President and the State.

Prohibited Telecommuting States:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • District of Columbia
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wyoming