Employing individuals to perform work on behalf of our institution when they are located outside the United States is complex and involves increased costs and legal risks to UW–Madison and the school due to employment laws, taxation rules, data privacy and cybersecurity risks, and other compliance requirements in other countries. In addition, the university’s employee liability protections do not automatically extend to locations outside the state of Wisconsin, so special arrangements must be made with the Office of Risk Management and Office of Legal Affairs before an employee engages in remote work from outside the United States.
Per UW–Madison’s policy on Remote Work and the SMPH Remote Work Guide, international remote work arrangements must be reviewed and approved by the SMPH Dean’s Office to determine if there is a justified business necessity. A business necessity is defined as: “A legitimate business purpose that fulfills the mission and objectives of the university and is not solely for the personal benefit of an employee.”
A business necessity request must be requested by a department chair or department administrator, or equivalent roles if your appointment is outside of an academic department. The request must be submitted here.
The business necessity approval process may take up to 10 working days. Please note that approval of business necessity does not mean an employee has entered into a remote work agreement. It is only a preliminary step that means, if approved, the employee can submit an international remote work agreement for approval once that process is open.