New reimbursements for working remotely; help for academically stranded students

New guidelines for expenses incurred while working remotely

McMaster University is committed to supporting employees who are required to work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The university announced reimbursing several expenses early on in the pandemic and has now expanded the list of items that qualify for reimbursement.

Office equipment and accessories now qualify for reimbursement when pre-authorized by a supervisor in accordance with Information for Remote Work Office Set-up for employees working remotely during COVID-19 Pandemic.

The university is also committed to reimbursing expenses such as:

• Long distance charges for work-related calls
• Printer cartridges or toner
• Laptops, monitors, printers, and related computer equipment — only when pre-authorized by the department. These items will become the property of McMaster.

Whenever possible, it is recommended that staff request access to campus to pick up equipment before purchasing new supplies or equipment. If purchasing new equipment is required, seek supervisor approval in advance to ensure eligibility.

We have a new program with Grand and Toy for the purchase of various pieces of office equipment and accessories through MacBuy for delivery to employees’ homes. Information can be found on Strategic Procurement’s web page. Additional details on reimbursement, including eligibility and processes are available here.

For purchases or expenses not eligible for reimbursement from McMaster, employees may consider filing a T2200 or Declaration of Conditions of Employment Form, which allows employees to claim deductions of work-related home expenses through the Canada Revenue Agency. This form needs to be certified by the employer and McMaster will provide certification. Ultimately, it is the CRA that determines which eligible expenses an employee can claim.

Eligible expenses must be certified by an authorized McMaster University employee as outlined in the University’s Declaration of Conditions of Employment (T2200) Form Policy . The form should be completed by the employee and signed by the applicable Vice-President or Faculty Dean, or their delegates, such as a supervisor.

For more information on this option and to obtain a T2200 please visit the CRA.

For more information regarding eligible expenses, please visit the CRA’s Other Employment Expenses as well as Work-Space-In-The-Home Expenses. For questions related to expenses reimbursement, contact Terri Wetton at wetton@mcmaster.ca

Provincial pilot program helps students complete courses

A program recently announced by the province will allow some students to return to the university this summer to ensure they meet their qualifications to graduate and complete practicums, in-person training and clinical placements.

The new pilot program, set to begin on July 2, is focused on what the province calls “academically stranded students.”

At McMaster, this includes more than 100 students of the School of Rehabilitation Science (in programs including speech language pathology, occupational therapy and physiotherapy), and 70 nursing students in the Bachelor of Science, Nursing (BScN) accelerated program.

New provincial guidelines will allow the School of Rehabilitation Science to bring its students onto campus for a clinical skills boot camp in July to learn hands-on skills that cannot be taught virtually. Following this, they will also be able to access hospitals and clinics to complete their placements.

The BScN accelerated program typically runs full-time through the summer and includes physical placements in hospital settings. This program will resume thanks to the provincial pilot and will allow those students to graduate on time.

Protocols will be in place to meet all public health requirements and create the safest teaching and learning environments possible.

Welcome Week goes virtual

For the first time ever, McMaster’s Welcome Week and all orientation activities will be held virtually, following the university’s announcement that all fall classes would be held online.

Currently, teams of planners are developing an inclusive, accessible and diverse experience for the Class of 2024. Incorporating an additional focus on supporting the academic transition to university, the online activities, which will accommodate students in various time zones, will also help new students connect with peers, upper-year students, faculty and staff.

More information about Welcome Week 2020 will be posted on the McMaster Welcome Week website as it becomes available.