Remote work policy & agreement
A combined policy and individual agreement for remote and hybrid work — hours, equipment, expenses, data security, and jurisdiction of employment.
Remote Work Policy & Agreement
Effective
This Agreement is between (the "Company") and (""), in the role of .
1. Work location
Primary remote work location: . The Employee will notify the Company in advance of any change to the primary remote work location.
2. Schedule & availability
Pattern: . Core hours: — during which the Employee will be reachable on chat, email, and video.
3. Equipment
The Company will provide: Equipment remains the Company's property and must be returned on termination.
4. Expense reimbursement
Page 1 of 3
5. Data security
The Employee will follow the Company's information-security policy at all times: use only Company-managed devices for Company data, keep devices encrypted and up-to-date, work over secure networks (no untrusted public Wi-Fi for Confidential Information), and immediately report any suspected security incident to the Company's security contact.
6. Health & safety
The Company's occupational-health-and-safety obligations apply to the remote workplace. The Employee will set up an ergonomic workstation, take regular breaks, and report any work-related injury promptly. The Company may, on reasonable notice, request information about the remote workspace to verify it meets minimum safety standards.
7. Jurisdiction of employment
The Employee's place of employment is the province in which they ordinarily perform their work. Employment standards (notice, vacation, leaves), health-and-safety, and tax obligations follow that province. Working remotely from another province for short periods does not change the employee's place of employment, but extended remote work from another province requires written approval from the Company's people team.
8. Termination of remote arrangement
This remote-work arrangement may be ended by either party on reasonable notice. Ending the remote arrangement does not, by itself, end the underlying employment relationship — but a substantial change to work location or schedule will be discussed in good faith before any unilateral change is made.
Acknowledgement
By signing below, the Employee acknowledges this Agreement and agrees to follow the policies it references.
Page 2 of 3
Made with WalnutsHR Paper · Reviewed for Ontario · April 2026
Page 3 of 3
No compliance hints for this jurisdiction yet — your document looks good for the basics. Have a lawyer review before sending anything consequential.
About this template
A remote-work policy clarifies the dozen things that are obvious in an office but ambiguous when everyone is distributed: where you work, when you're reachable, what gear the company provides, who pays for internet, and where your employment legally exists. Done well, it prevents the small frictions that compound into resentment.
When to use it
- You're formalizing a remote or hybrid working arrangement for an existing employee.
- You're hiring a new employee whose work location differs from your headquarters.
- You want to set jurisdiction-of-employment expectations before someone moves provinces or states.
What to include
- The primary remote work location.
- Schedule and core hours — including time-zone expectations.
- Equipment provided and ownership.
- Expense reimbursement (internet, phone, home-office stipends).
- Data security expectations.
- Health and safety acknowledgement that the policy applies to the home office.
- Jurisdiction of employment and what triggers a change.
- How either party can end the remote arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
Can the company require the employee to come back to the office?
Generally yes, but the analysis depends on what's in the offer letter. If the offer letter said the work location was "remote" or "flexible," courts and tribunals may treat a unilateral return-to-office mandate as a constructive dismissal — meaning the company effectively terminates without cause and owes notice. A signed remote-work agreement that explicitly contemplates change of location reduces this risk.
Do I need to reimburse internet and phone bills?
Some Canadian provinces and US states (notably California) require employers to reimburse necessary work expenses. Even where it's not required, paying a reasonable monthly stipend is normal practice and avoids disputes about what counts as "required" equipment.
What about workers' compensation in a home office?
Workers' comp covers work-related injuries regardless of where they happen. Slipping while reaching for a coffee mug during a work call has been compensable. Document the home workspace and require employees to report incidents promptly.
Legal disclaimer. Cross-border or cross-province remote work creates real tax, payroll, employment-standards, and benefits-administration complexity. An employee who relocates from Ontario to Quebec changes everything from CPP/QPP to French-language obligations. An employee who relocates from California to Texas changes state income tax, workers' comp, and at-will doctrine. Don't approve a long-term cross-jurisdiction move without payroll and tax advice.
Save it. Brand it. Sign it.
Sign up free to save your templates, brand them with your logo, and send for e-signature — all from your WalnutsHR dashboard.
Votre base de données RH principale est hébergée dans une région canadienne. Les sous-traitants et tout traitement transfrontalier sont divulgués dans notre politique de confidentialité.
Essai gratuit de 30 jours · Aucune carte de crédit requise