Resources for Telecommuting and FAQs

Holding Meetings

Location doesn’t matter when you have reliable online tools to help you connect and collaborate with colleagues. The Columbia Law School community has access to the Zoom platform, allowing users to hold tele- and video conferences. All Law School employees will have access to a Zoom Pro account. Please feel free to reach out to the IT Helpdesk with any questions related to Zoom. The Zoom Help Center is also an excellent resource for one-minute video introductions and how-to tools.

In addition, CUIT provides access to a range of Google Apps that may help you and your team work remotely. Applications like GChat and Drive are helpful for communicating and collaborating on documents. To learn how to set up GChat and access Drive, consult CUIT and Google’s support documentation.  Columbia faculty and staff have access to Linkedin Learning (formerly Lynda.com), which has a training session on how to fully utilize Google Hangouts and GChat.

Call Forwarding

In the event employees are advised to work remotely, it is recommended that employees forward their office phones.

For employees using NetPhone, CUIT has a user guide with instructions for call forwarding. Look for the “Forwarding All Calls” drop-down option under the “Receiving Calls” header and then click “Features” which will load a page where you can make several changes.

For employees with a ROLM phone, CUIT provides instructions for forwarding calls. Instructions can be found on the ROLM phone tutorial, under the “FORWD” tab.

If you are unsure if you have a NetPhone or ROLM phone, ask your systems administrator or consult Law School Helpdesk by emailing [email protected].

Managing Employees

Please find below some resources that may help managers and employees work together effectively in a fully remote business operation: 

• Building and Leading High-Performing Remote Teams
• Resources for Managing Teleworkers
• Teleworking Employees: Set Guidelines, Priorities

If you are working remotely, especially on a personal device, be aware of data security issues. Some data (e.g. payroll information, student records) requires additional precautions when accessed on personal devices. Consult with your supervisor on handling sensitive information, and consult CUIT's Office of the Chief Information Security Officer for more information on best practices, data protection, and more.

For questions related specifically to remote working technologies, email [email protected] and someone from our IT Helpdesk team will reach out to provide assistance. For questions related to Human Resources matters, please reach out to our Human Resources department.

Managers are strongly encouraged to begin making preparations for trial telecommuting as soon as possible. 

Some departments may require an on-site presence in order to maintain business operations. Employees should seek guidance from their supervisors.

Department heads are asked to use their judgement in assessing operational needs to determine if a physical presence is necessary. 

Essential employees will continue to maintain an on-site presence. If you are unsure whether you are designated an essential employee, please contact your supervisor or Human Resources.

For those members of our community who are not able to perform their job responsibilities remotely, managers will be as flexible as possible to accommodate alternative work schedules (e.g., staggered arrival and departure times), in order to allow for appropriate social distancing. 

Employees should speak with their managers, who will then consult with CLS Human Resources.

During an emergency, essential personnel provide services that relate directly to the health, safety, and welfare of the Law School in order to ensure continuity of key operations. As in the case of closure due to inclement weather, the Law School has identified specific departments and individuals that are considered essential to maintain these operations. Essential departments at the Law School are: Building Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Law Library, and the Columbia Law Emergency Response Team (CLERT).  

No. Employees are expected to use their home desktop, laptop, or tablet when working remotely. If any employee is not equipped to work from home, they should speak with their supervisor regarding alternative work schedules. Supervisors can also consult with Law IT regarding loaner equipment, if available.

If an employee is working remotely, especially on a personal device, be aware of data security issues. Some data (e.g. payroll information, student records) requires additional precautions when accessed on personal devices. Consult with your supervisor on handling sensitive data. You may also consult with CUIT's Office of the Chief Information Security Officer for more information on best practices, data protection, and more.

Law School buildings are accessible 24/7 to faculty, staff, and students with a valid CUID.

Yes, the Law Library is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week. Extended hours will be available during the exam period. Non-affiliates are not permitted access to the Law Library.

The Clinics are open to faculty, staff, and students with CUID swipe access. 

Public Access Schedule

• Jerome Greene Hall: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• William and June Warren Hall: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Jerome Greene Annex: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• William C. Warren Hall: CUID access only
• Greenhouse: CUID access only