NUMBER:
10-2-9
APPROVED DATE:
06-04-2007
BASED ON POLICY NUMBER AND TITLE:
2-12-0 EP 4: FINANCIAL CONDITION
PURPOSE: To outline the College's wireless communication devices procedure guidelines regarding eligibility, responsibility and acceptable use. This procedure is intended to ensure compliance with applicable Internal Revenue Code regulations.
1. Eligibility:
a. The College may assign wireless communication devices to employees who are mobile for most of a work period, respond to emergencies, are responsible for restoration of services, or are integral to the college's decision-making process. When the College assigns a wireless communication device to an employee, the employee must use the device, as appropriate, during all college emergencies.
b. The requestor must be a permanent employee of the College. The Vice Presidents must present any exceptions to the President's Cabinet for a decision on approval or disapproval.
2. Conditions for use:
The College provides wireless communication devices to an employee primarily for business use and the employee may use for personal reasons in accordance with this college procedure. Business use is any use in the course of performing specific job-related duties on behalf of and for the benefit of Trident Technical College.
3. To request a cellular telephone (or other wireless communication device):
a. Submit a Request & Justification for Cellular Telephone Phone Services Form to supervisor.
b. Supervisor will determine need for service and submit to dean or director and vice president for approval. If approved, vice president will submit request to President's Cabinet for approval.
4. Procurement of cellular telephones or other wireless communication devices and related services:
a. All cellular telephones and cellular service will be purchased by the college's procurement department in accordance with state policies including the South Carolina Procurement Code and Regulations.
b. The South Carolina Chief Information Officer has established cellular telephone contracts with multiple vendors. The contracts provide discounted pricing to state agencies.
c. The College may standardize with one cellular telephone provider for a specific function or for compatibility reasons.
d. Requestor shall submit approved Request and Justification for Cellular Telephone Service Form to the College's procurement department. The procurement department will contact the appropriate wireless provider to arrange contact with the requestor and requestor's supervisor to determine which plan will best serve the requestor's department.
e. Requestor will enter an online requisition for the chosen plan. The procurement department will contact the wireless provider to confirm the plan, pricing, and obtain necessary paperwork or contracts, and place a purchase order.
f. The carrier will deliver the cell phone to the procurement department. The cellular telephone is owned and remains the property of the College.
g. Requestor must sign a Cellular Telephone User Agreement before the cellular telephone can be issued to the requestor.
h. The procurement department will keep comprehensive and up-to-date records of the employees who have been issued a cellular telephone.
5. Departmental/Employee Responsibilities:
a. The employee's immediate supervisor will be responsible for ensuring that the requestor has read and understands the College's wireless communication device procedure.
b. The employee is responsible for the safekeeping and care of the assigned cellular telephone. The employee should not loan the cellular telephone to anyone and should immediately report any theft or loss of the cellular telephone to the employee's supervisor and to the College's public safety department. The employee may be liable for lost, stolen or damaged equipment.
c. The employee has an obligation to use the cellular telephone and service in a responsible, informed and safe manner, conforming to network etiquette, customs, courtesies, safety practices and applicable laws or regulations.
d. Should the employee leave the position for which a cellular telephone was assigned, the employee will return the cellular telephone to the supervisor. Both the employee and the supervisor will complete a Cellular Telephone Turn In Form acknowledging that the cellular telephone has been returned. The employee's supervisor will notify the procurement department by sending them a copy of the Cellular Telephone Turn In Form. If the employee's position remains vacant, cellular services will be terminated.
e. If the employee is on leave for 30 days or more, the cellular telephone must be returned to the immediate supervisor. A Cellular Telephone Turn In Form must be completed upon surrendering the phone and a copy of the form must be sent to Procurement. Upon returning to work, the employee and the supervisor will complete a Cellular Telephone Return Form acknowledging that the cellular telephone has been returned to the employee.
6. Personal Calls:
Cellular telephones are provided to employees for the purpose of conducting College business. However, emergency situations may necessitate an employee's use of the College's cellular telephone for personal reasons. If the need should arise, personal calls must be kept to a minimum, and the employee must identify all personal calls on the invoice and reimburse the college for the minutes used. Reimbursement to the College must be made within 30 days after the supervisor and the employee's review of the invoice. If reimbursement is not made within 30 days after reviewing the invoice, the employee's supervisor will notify the division's Vice President and a warning will be issued. If an employee fails a second time to make reimbursement after 30 days, the phone must be returned to the procurement department, and further disciplinary action may be taken. The Internal Auditor will audit at least 10% of all cell phone records monthly for personal use. If personal use is identified and the user has not already reimbursed the College, the user must do so immediately after being asked. If the user has reimbursed the College, the user must provide proof of reimbursement to the Internal Auditor. The Internal Auditor will report the users for delinquency of reimbursement to the appropriate vice president and the president.
7. Invoicing and Payment:
a. The College's cellular telephone provider will submit invoices directly to the College's accounts payable department. Accounts Payable will charge departmental charges to each department account.
b. The cellular telephone provider will also send each department listed on the contract a segregated and detailed invoice each month. The budget administrator shall ensure that all personal calls listed on the monthly invoices are being reimbursed in accordance with this procedure. All reimbursements will be made in the finance department and these monies will be credited to the appropriate departmental account. The cellular telephone user must provide the finance department with the number of the account to be reimbursed.
c. In compliance with the Internal Revenue Service Code, employers who provide cellular telephones for employees' use must keep a record of both business and personal use of the phone. Any personal use of the phone services that is no reimbursed to the employer is considered taxable income to the employee.
8. Non-College owned phones:
a. Employees using a personal cellular telephone may be reimbursed for business related calls.
b. Reimbursement request must be submitted on the appropriate college form. The reimbursement request must include a detailed cellular billing statement showing the minutes and/or charges for which reimbursement is requested. The College reserves the rights to request additional information as deemed necessary in order to determine reimbursement of such bills.
9. Disciplinary Action:
Abuse of this procedure may result in revocation of the wireless communication device and employee disciplinary actions in accordance with College Policies and Procedures relating to disciplinary action and termination (SBTCE-8-5-100.1 Disciplinary Action).
10. Audits:
The Internal Auditor will perform routine audits of all wireless communication device programs.
Updated: 08-25-2010
