Policies

Purpose

To promote the safety of employees and the public by establishing expectations for participation in virtual meetings while operating a motor vehicle. This policy applies to all full- and part-time members of the University, faculty, staff, and students.

Policy Statement

The University is committed to maintaining a safe work environment and preventing distracted driving. Employees are prohibited from actively participating in, being present at, or otherwise engaging in a virtual meeting while operating a motor vehicle.

This prohibition applies to:

• Company-owned, leased, rented, and personal vehicles.
• Work-related and personal travel when the employee is participating in a work meeting.
• Video, audio, and interactive virtual meetings.
• Hands-free devices, Bluetooth systems, speakerphones, and vehicle-integrated technology.

Requirements

1. Required Practices

• Employees must not join a virtual meeting with video enabled while driving. Please safely park the vehicle in a lawful location before joining the meeting.
• Notify the meeting organizer or supervisor in advance when driving to prevent attendance.
• Use an approved alternative, such as rescheduling, joining after reaching the destination, or having another employee attend when appropriate.
• Never attempt to read, type, adjust, share screens or documents, read or respond to chats messages, take notes, or perform any task requiring visual attention to the meeting platform while driving.

If an employee is already in a meeting when they need to begin driving, they must leave the meeting before driving or safely park before continuing their participation.

2. Meeting Organizers

Meeting organizers should:

• Provide meeting notes or follow-up materials when possible.
• Encourage participants who are driving to prioritize safety and reconnect when safely parked.

3. Emergency Situations

If an urgent business matter requires immediate attention, the employee must safely pull over and park before participating. Business urgency does not override this policy.

Compliance

Failure to comply with this policy may result in corrective or disciplinary action consistent with institutional policy and applicable law.

Policy Reminder

Safety takes precedence over meeting attendance. Employees are expected to pull over to a safe location before actively participating in any virtual meeting.