This document is general guidance for Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) workers about the State of Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services (DAFS) Telework Authorization system. It explains the different systems and provides tips for DHHS workers and supervisors in filling out the DAFS Telework Authorization form, with the caveat that DAFS is the authority on its form, content, process, and rules.
DHHS Telework Approval Form
First, as a reminder, the DHHS Telework Approval Form is the Department’s management tool. It is how you and your supervisor set schedules consistent with the DHHS Telework Policy (PDF). Both state employees and contractors must fill out the DHHS Telework Approval Form (unlike the DAFS Telework Authorization Form). It is adapted for special types of schedules such as that of certain Office for Family Independence (OFI) eligibility specialists. It also enables second-level approvals for positions that require them. Supervisors will use the DHHS Approval Form as the ongoing management tool for telework. When your regular schedule changes or you change jobs within DHHS, you will use the DHHS Telework Approval Form to modify your telework schedule. The DHHS Telework Approval Form will be streamlined this fall in order to reduce redundancies between the two forms.
You can find your own DHHS Telework Approval Form by searching your inbox and deleted items for e-mails from “DHHS Telework.” You can also see your own sent as well as approved/denied forms through the Approvals app in Teams. Select “SOM DHHS OPEX Production” in the drop down at the top right. Supervisors can view employee approvals in the “Received” tab of Power Automate.
DAFS Telework Authorization Form
This is the State of Maine Executive Branch’s official record that is required for reporting of telework. It is a general form designed to accommodate all Departments. It includes your signed attestation that you will follow the State’s Safety, Security, and Compliance Checklist (PDF). You must update your DAFS Telework Authorization Form if you change jobs, start or stop teleworking, or make major changes to your schedule such as the number of telework days. Both the DHHS and DAFS Telework Forms will be reviewed as part of annual performance reviews.
The DAFS Telework Authorization Form is not adapted to DHHS’ – or any other Department’s – specific policy. As such, it does not fully track the DHHS Approval Form. You may not be able to fill it out in a way that is consistent with your approved DHHS Telework Approval Form. The “Tips” below are meant to help you fill out the DAFS Telework Authorization Form. Generally, our guidance is to recreate your DHHS-approved telework schedule the best you can in the DAFS Telework Authorization Form.
Tips for Employees:
- Contractors, workers ineligible for telework, and workers who never intend to telework SHOULD NOT fill out the DAFS Telework Authorization Form. This includes workers at Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center, Riverview Psychiatric Center, and the Maine CDC Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory, among others.
- If possible, the DAFS Telework Authorization Form should match your DHHS Telework Approval form.
- We suggest having the Employee Quick Reference Guide (PDF) open when you fill out the DAFS Telework Authorization Form for reference as you go through it. You can also read the FAQs (PDF) and look at the Sample Telework Authorization (PDF) form ahead of time to help you fill it out more quickly. Once you submit the Form, you cannot change it; you will have to submit a new one.
- For some DHHS employees, there are additional fields on the DAFS Telework Authorization Form (such as the name of your “manager” and the name of your “Division”). These fields are relevant to other Departments and are optional; you don’t need to fill them out.
- The DAFS Telework Authorization Form does not allow for second-level approval. If you have obtained second-level approval through the DHHS Telework Approval Form, you do not need to request it again as suggested in the DAFS FAQs.
- While the DAFS Telework Authorization Form allows you to fill in up to 7 days for telework, the DHHS Telework Policy limits the maximum number to 3, with limited exceptions.
- If you are an Office for Family Independence Eligibility Specialist with a rotational intake requirement, fill out the DAFS Telework Authorization Form assuming telework on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
- To answer the DAFS Telework Authorization Form question “Detailed Description of Telework Space,” we suggest: “My telework space conforms with the State’s Safety, Security and Compliance checklist” since that review is part of the DHHS Telework Approval Form.
- Note that some of the emails you receive in the DAFS Telework Authorization process will come from “Maine IT, Power Platform 1” and may not be familiar to you. Here is a picture of what it looks like:
Tips for Supervisors:
- Supervisors should fill in the “Telework Authorization Review Date” as the date one year from when it was submitted, since it will be reviewed as part of the annual employee performance review starting with review in 2023.
- The DAFS Telework Authorization Form does not allow for second-level approval. If you have obtained second-level approval through the DHHS Telework Approval Form, you do not need to request it again as the DAFS FAQs suggest.
- For supervisors, the DAFS Telework Authorization Form you approve should match, to the extent possible, the employee’s DHHS Telework Approval form. However, it is possible that the schedule in the DAFS Telework Authorization Form submitted by your staff differs from the schedule you approved on the DHHS Telework Approval Form (e.g., OFI Eligibility Specialists with a rotational intake requirement).
- Given your engagement with your workers when you both completed the DHHS Telework Approval Form, and after you read the Telework Expectation field and determine it is consistent with your expectations, we suggest you fill out the seven “Telework Expectations” fields with: “Telework Expectations have been reviewed, acknowledged and signed by the employee as part of the DHHS Telework Approval process.” If not, tailor your entry to your Telework Expectations.
- Supervisors must email the PDF signed version of the DAFS Telework Authorization Form to HR. Here’s the list of HR contacts for different Offices:
| HR Service Center Representative | Office(s) Assigned | Email Address |
|---|---|---|
| Wendy Malinowski, Director | Commissioner's Office | wendy.malinowski@maine.gov |
| District Operations | ||
| Darlene Breau | OFI DDS Division of Audit |
darlene.a.breau@maine.gov |
| Tristan Mahns | OADS OBH DHHS Finance DCM Admin Hearings |
tristan.mahns@maine.gov |
| Mark Rohman | CDC DLC OMS |
mark.a.rohman@maine.gov |
| Dawn Hogan | OCFS | dawn.hogan@maine.gov |
DAFS has material on its website that can help answer your questions. If you need more information, you can email: WorksForME@maine.gov