2.09—Cellular Service Device Allowance

Effective: 07/01/2009
Senate Proposal: No
Responsible University Officer: Chief Financial Officer
Responsible Office: Financial Services and Operations

Policy Statement

Michigan Technological University will provide University employees with an allowance when their duties and responsibilities require the use of cellular service devices.

Policy Requirements

An allowance will be provided for authorized employees with approval of department chair or director. Service contracts will be in the employee's name for billing purposes and devices will be personally owned. These allowances could include the cost of equipment (every 24 months) and monthly service fees.

Reason for Policy

This policy is intended to simplify purchasing, reimbursement, and approval issues associated with cellular service devices, and to allow flexibility in plans and service providers for employees.

Related Policy Information

This policy applies to University employees for payments for cellular service devices when the service is required for University use. The allowance is provided for employees when duties and responsibilities require cellular service devices while off-campus, outside normal business hours and locations, or from home. The dollar amount of the service allowance should approximate the employee's anticipated business-related expenses only. It is not the intent of this allowance to pay employees for their personal use of the cellular service devices.

The allowance will be:

• processed through Payroll Services and included in the employee paycheck;
• reviewed on an annual basis by the employee’s department.

The allowance is not:

• considered to be part of the employee’s base pay;
• to exceed the monthly cellular device service bill;
• to be paid from sponsored program awards.

The Michigan Tech Purchasing Card may not be used for the purchase of cellular service devices.

Contacts

Definitions

Cellular Service Device - Any wireless telephone which transmits communication via towers, a wireless device such as PDA, and any hand held cellular device which has the capability to combine computing, telephone, fax, internet and networking features - such as Blackberries, Treo's, etc.

Authorized employee - University employee whose job duties and responsibilities require cellular service devices availability, as determined by the department chair or director.

Business use - The use of cellular service devices by an authorized employee to perform their job responsibilities that contribute to and further the mission of the University.

Personal use - The use of cellular service devices that is not necessary or does not contribute to furthering the mission of the University.

Responsibilities

Department Chair or Director - determines whether or not an employee’s job requires the use of cellular service devices and approves the monthly allowance and/or equipment purchase amount(s) as indicated on the Cell Phone/Internet Allowance Request Form by signing the form.

Financial Manager - verifies that the monthly allowance and/or equipment purchase amount(s) are available in the indicated University index.

Employee/Individual - completes the Cell Phone/Internet Allowance Request Form when requesting either a new allowance with the amount of the monthly allowance, a revision to a current allowance, or terminating an internet service when it is no longer needed to perform their job; and pays the entire cost of the service/equipment purchase to the provider.

Accounting Services - implements policies to comply with federal tax regulations, and implements procedures to monitor cellular service devices which are not provided directly by the University and/or on-campus.

Department - reviews the Cell Phone/Internet Allowance Request Form for proper completion and appropriate signatures; annually reviews the employee's need for a cellular service device to perform job duties and responsibilities; and reviews actual billing documentation compared to amount of allowance.

Procedures

In support of this policy, the following procedures are included:

• 2.09.1. Request for Cellular Service Device Allowance
• 2.09.2. Request to Revise a Cellular Service Device Allowance
• 2.09.3. Request to Terminate a Cellular Service Device Allowance

Forms and Instructions

In support of this policy, the following forms/instructions are included:

• Cell Phone/Internet Allowance Request Form

Adoption Date

Revisions