Free Remote Work Agreement Template
Put the terms of working from home in writing, from schedules to equipment and data security. Work through a short guided form and download a copy both sides can sign.
- Download as PDF and Word
- E-sign included
What Is a Remote Work Agreement?
A remote work agreement sets out the terms under which an employee works away from the employer’s premises. It covers where they work, when they are available, and what equipment and support they receive.
The document supplements an employment contract rather than replacing it. Pay, benefits, and job duties usually stay exactly as they were.
Full-Time, Hybrid, or Occasional
Some arrangements are permanent, some split the week between home and office, and some cover a short trial. One template handles all three, provided it states which pattern applies.
Who It Covers
Employees, and sometimes long-term contractors, sign these terms. Contractors usually work under their own agreement instead, so check which document applies before you send one.
Why Put It in Writing
Verbal arrangements drift. Written terms fix the expectations that cause most friction later, such as core hours, response times, and who pays for what.
When Employers and Employees Put It in Writing
Sign a remote work agreement before the first day away from the office, not after a problem appears. Retrofitting terms onto an arrangement people have already settled into is much harder.
Common triggers include:
- A new hire starting in a remote or hybrid role
- An existing employee moving to a different city
- A team shifting to hybrid working after an office change
- A temporary arrangement for caregiving or recovery
- A trial period before a permanent change
Employment rules differ by state and by the location where the employee actually works. Therefore, check your state’s official website, and consult an employment attorney if the employee will work across a border.
Where the Employee Works Matters
Someone working from another state may fall under different rules than the head office. Ask before approving the arrangement, since the answer can affect payroll, insurance, and time-off entitlements.
Name a specific work location rather than writing the word remote. If the employee later moves, the change then becomes a conversation instead of a discovery.
What to Include in a Remote Work Agreement Template
A remote work agreement template covers the practical questions people actually argue about. Seven sections handle most of them.
Parties and Effective Date
Name the employer and the employee, then state when the arrangement begins. Add an end date if it is temporary.
Work Location
Specify the approved location, whether that is a home address, a coworking space, or a defined region. Say whether working elsewhere needs approval.
Schedule and Availability
Set core hours, expected response times, and how the employee logs time. Clarity here prevents the always-on drift that burns people out.
Equipment and Who Supplies It
List what the employer provides, what the employee provides, and who owns it. Include the return process for company property.
Expenses
State which costs the employer covers, such as internet, phone, or supplies, and how the employee submits a claim. Silence on expenses is a common source of disputes.
Data Security and Confidentiality
Cover device security, network requirements, and how the employee handles confidential material at home. Reference existing company policies rather than rewriting them.
Changes and Termination
Explain how either side can end or vary the arrangement, and how much notice applies. A clean exit clause makes the whole thing easier to sign.
Equipment, Expenses, and Data Security
These three areas cause more disagreements than anything else in remote working. Each deserves a sentence that leaves no room for interpretation.
Decide the following before drafting:
- Who buys the laptop, monitor, chair, and headset
- Whether the employer contributes to internet or phone costs
- What happens to equipment if the employee leaves
- Which security software must stay installed and updated
- Where the employee may print or store confidential documents
Reimbursement rules vary by state and by company policy. So check your state’s official website, and confirm with your payroll or HR team how to handle claims.
Insurance and Liability
Home working can affect what a business policy covers. Ask your insurer whether the arrangement changes anything, then note the answer before the employee starts.
Home Working Conditions
Employers often ask for a safe, dedicated workspace with a reliable connection. Set that expectation in writing, and say whether you want a self-assessment or a photo.
Reviewing and Updating the Agreement
Treat the terms as a living document. Working patterns shift, teams reorganize, and what fits in month one may not fit in month twelve.
Build in a review:
- Set a date to revisit the arrangement, such as after three months.
- Ask both sides what is working and what is not.
- Update the schedule, expenses, or location terms as needed.
- Sign the revised version and file it with the employment records.
Keep a signed copy with the personnel file rather than in an inbox. Anyone reviewing the arrangement later will look there first.
Complicated situations deserve advice. Where the employee works in another state or another country, an employment attorney can flag issues the document should address.
Build your remote work agreement template in minutes, then review it once the arrangement has had time to settle.
Agree what happens on days the employee needs to be in the office. Naming who decides, and how much notice they give, prevents the most common weekly argument in hybrid teams.
