Business Mobile Phone (Personal Use and Billing) Policy and Procedure

Transcription

1 APPENDIX Business Mobile Phone (Personal Use and Billing) Policy and Procedure Purpose Scope Principles Allocation of Mobile Phones Costs Associated with Mobile Phones Tariff Bands Payment Reviews, Auditing and Invoice Processes Payment Methods Conditions of Use Tariff Declaration Form Purpose Mobile phones may be provided to staff that would benefit from having a business phone available to them to make/receive business calls whilst away from the office, the allocation of a phone will be by agreement with the line manager. It is however understood that the mobile may be used for personal use; however this should be within the tariff bands shown within this document. This policy therefore sets out the arrangements to deal with the personal use and ultimately the billing for such personal use for employees who have been provided with a mobile phone. The policy is designed to provide guidelines on personal use and structure for billing, payments and auditing. Scope This procedure applies to all employees of Leicestershire County Council (LCC) employed under the conditions of service of the National Joint Council for Local Government Service Employees, and who are issued with a mobile phone for business use. It does however not apply to those mobile phones that are issued on a Pay As You Go (PAYG) contract. Principles The policy is designed to: ensure that staff issued with a mobile phone for business use, pay for personal calls made. provide a less bureaucratic process for collecting monies due for personal calls made. discourage excessive and unreasonable personal use, therefore tariffs set are not designed to be competitive in cost or be perceived as being a benefit. 1 Date created: August 2009

2 Allocation of Mobile Phones LCC has in place authority-wide arrangements for non-payg mobile telephony. The main supplier is currently T-Mobile but the proposed policy will apply regardless of supplier. If a mobile phone is required for business use, line managers should be approached in the first instance. The request will be subject to a valid business case being made and subsequent departmental authorisation. Costs Associated with Mobile Phones It is fair and reasonable that employees pay for personal calls made on their work mobile phone. Therefore to avoid the labour intensive process of identifying and paying for each call, the employee should self select a tariff that best suits their personal usage for the forthcoming year. The current costs associated with issued phones on the T-Mobile network are shown below, and these costs have assisted in informing the calculation of the tariff bands. Calls to fixed lines T-Mobile calls within LCC T-Mobile calls outside LCC Other UK mobile networks calls 2 Text message to T-Mobile customers Other UK networks text messages 3p per minute Free Free 11p per minute Free 3p per text Rates will be reviewed at least annually and will need to take account of any changes in the supplier tariffs prevailing at the time. Tariff Bands Staff issued with a mobile phone for business use must opt for one of the following payment plans: Option One (Business use only) Business Use Only Nil Only emergency calls permitted. Option Two (Low use) Business use and a small amount of personal use. (Between 50 and 200 minutes or 50 and 200 text messages per year or a combination of both) per year Fixed annual 1 April Option Three (Medium use) Business use and a medium amount of personal use. (Between 201 and 400 minutes or 201 and 400 text messages per year or a combination of both) per year Fixed annual 1 April

3 Option Four (High use) Business use and high amount of personal use. (Between 401 and 1000 minutes or 401 and 1000 text messages per year or a combination of both) per year Fixed annual 1 April For a part year, payment would be calculated proportionately 1. Employees are reminded that business use is the primary reason for being given a work mobile phone. Using the phone for personal calls should not interfere with daily business. (Refer to ICT policy on telephone usage) Usage that exceeds option four will be seen as excessive and unreasonable use and payment is to be made to cover the cost of all personal calls, less any payment already made. Individuals who feel that their use would exceed that of Option Four are advised to refrain from using their work mobile for personal use and obtain or use their own mobile phone. Payment Reviews, Auditing and Invoice Processes Auditing Departments will receive, in electronic format, their monthly invoices for auditing. A random 10% audit of mobile phone users is to be conducted at the end of the financial year. The 10% audit selection should ideally range across all 4 bands and will only need to cover 2 random months within the period; this can then be used for a proportional calculation of the bills. Individual employees would need to assist in this audit process, which is to confirm that the tariff band that had been selected was appropriate. Where usage had exceeded the tariff selected the correct banding is to be used for the forthcoming period. Where, following audit, usage is shown to differ from the tariff banding initially selected then recompense may be required, a table to demonstrate this is shown: Option Taken Usage Employee pays or is owed Equivalent to Option Two Nil One Equivalent to Option Three to pay to pay Two Equivalent to Option One or Three Nil to pay Equivalent to Option One owed to employee Three Equivalent to Option Two Nil to pay Equivalent to Option One owed to employee Four Equivalent to Option Two owed to employee Equivalent to Option Three owed to employee 1 Where payments have yet to be recovered for the previous period (2008/09), then the tariff bands shown in this document are to be used as the basis for calculating retrospective payments. Where payments for a part year have been made for invoices already raised, then any amounts already paid should be deducted from the value of the tariff to be selected and payment made accordingly. Where amounts already paid exceed this tariff then employees will be recompensed at the next payment point. 3

4 Any monies owed will be made by adjustment on the forthcoming payment plan. Following an audit, if the employee disagrees with the findings due to the random month s selected not reflecting accurately personal use across the year; the employee can request a further review based on a six month selection within the period. If employment with Leicestershire County Council ceases or the requirement for a mobile phone ceases, the mobile phone is to be returned to ICT Services. Personal calls made to that point in time will be evaluated proportionately against the selected tariff band and any outstanding call charges (where usage exceed 2 bands) may be deducted from or credited to (final) salary payment or, subject to timescales, an invoice issued for repayment within 28 days. Equally any overpayment made will be refunded. Line managers are to confirm to Audit Services that an audit has been conducted and which staff members the audit has been conducted on. Audit Services can provide advice and support as required. Processing Employees are required to complete the Tariff Declaration at Appendix 1. This completed document is to be passed to line managers who are to collect a cheque (made payable to Leicestershire County Council ) or cash payment from the employee, this payment is to be forwarded to Cashiers. Declarations are to be held locally for reference/audit as required. Conditions of Use In accordance with legislation, hand held mobile phones or similar device(s) are not to be used whilst operating machinery or driving. Even if the vehicle is fitted with suitable hands-free equipment that within the legislation allows the user to make and receive calls Leicestershire County Council positively discourages the practice. Due care must be made of the phone at all times so that it is kept in good working condition. The phone must be PIN code protected and kept locked at all times to minimise security risks, particularly if the phone is stolen. Any damage or theft/loss of the phone should be reported immediately to ICT Services through line managers. Mobile phones should be switched off during meetings, lectures, seminars, training courses etc except in very exceptional circumstances where it is vital to make or receive an urgent business call. In such circumstances the phone should be adjusted to silent mode and alert colleagues to the fact an urgent call needs to be made or is expected. 4

5 Appendix 1 Employee Tariff Declaration Name:. Job Title: Line Manager:.. Department:.. This form is to be retained by the employee for reference and audit. Service Area: Cost Code: (Line manager to complete) This is to certify that I am aware of the conditions of use regarding the mobile phone issued to me for business use and declare that having reviewed the tariff options available to me I agree to the payment rates applicable to the tariff as indicated (tick one box below). I understand that payment for this tariff is to be made by cheque payment or cash. I am aware that at the end of each year a % audit will be conducted on mobile phone invoices in order to protect the County Council from any misuse of its property and/or overspend of public monies, and also to confirm tariff bandings. TARIFF OPTIONS Select the tariff band that will most suit your requirements for the forthcoming financial year. Tariff You pay I agree the following conditions of use. Select Business Nil Only emergency calls permitted. User Low User per year Business use and a small amount of personal use. (Between 50 and 200 minutes or 50 and 200 text Medium User per year Business use and a medium amount of personal use. (Between 201 and 400 minutes or 201 and 400 text High User per year Business use and high amount of personal use. (Between 401 and 1000 minutes or 401 and 1000 text Employee signature: Date: Line Manager/Administrator signature:. Name:.. Date:. Payment submitted to cashiers on:... for the financial year 5