1.18 Pets at Work

Pets in the workplace may pose concerns related to liability, work distractions to the owner and others, health issues (fleas and allergies), etc. In order to minimize potential problems and to maximize the productivity of all University employees, the practice of bringing pets into the workplace on a recurring or lengthy basis is impermissible.

In certain cases, pets may be prohibited from being brought to work at all (e.g., if the pet interferes with employee work, creates a health risk, or causes property damage, or if there is other good reason to prohibit the pet’s presence).  If an employee wishes to bring his or her pet into the employee’s workplace on an intermittent basis, the employee must have his or her supervisor’s permission. 

Also, employees are prohibited from bringing their pets into classrooms, other employees’ offices, student living areas, or shared University buildings (e.g., Gwinn, Weter Lounge) without advance permission from their supervisor and the Office of Human Resources.  Employees who have questions in regard to this policy should speak with their supervisor or the Office of Human Resources. An employee is responsible for controlling and cleaning up after any pet brought to campus, and is personally responsible for any injury or damage that the pet causes.