Page 1 of 6 Date of Issue: February 2014 Original Date of Issue: May 2, 2007 Subject: CELLULAR DEVICES Reference: A2502 Expense Claims Links: FORM A2507 1 Contact: Business Services, Information Technology Services (ITS) 1. Purpose 1.1 This Administrative Procedures Memorandum (APM) provides guidance to employees of the Simcoe County District School Board (board) for the use of and reimbursement for cellular devices, while carrying on with board business. 2. Definition 2.1 For the purpose of this APM, cellular devices shall be defined as any cellular device capable of supporting a cellular and/or data plan including but not limited to: Blackberry devices, iphones, ipads and various cellular phones. 3. General 3.1 The board requires some of its employees to use a cellular device on a regular basis, in order to carry on with board business. 3.2 The board will supply and maintain a cellular device for each employee who it requires to use a cellular device. 3.3 The board provides cellular devices to employees for business purposes only. 4. Employee Required to Use a Cellular Device on a Regular Basis 4.1 A director, superintendent, manager or principal who requires an employee to use a cellular device to carry on board business shall: 4.1.1 Authorize the employee to have the cellular device and authorize the related charges to be made to his/her department/location budget by completing a Helpdesk Ticket. 4.1.2 Have the employee complete and sign the acknowledgement section of FORM A2507-1 acknowledging his/her understanding of and agreement to the conditions and procedures in this APM. 4.1.3 Forward the completed and signed form to Information Technology Services - Attention: Helpdesk. 4.1.3.1 The Helpdesk shall scan and store a copy of the form with the inventory record.
Page 2 of 6 5. Board Owned Cellular Devices 5.1 All board cellular device purchases and plans are coordinated through ITS. ITS shall manage the purchasing, technological reviews, repairs, maintenance, distribution and electronic notification of the monthly statements to departments for all board owned cellular devices. 5.2 Cellular devices and accessories belong to a department/location and shall be returned to the ITS Helpdesk when no longer required for board business. A Helpdesk ticket shall be created to accompany the return of the device. 5.3 Cellular devices have employee specific information and setup, such as email and address book information. For this reason, the cellular device will remain with the original user until it is no longer required for board business. 5.3.1 The board reserves and retains the right to re-assign cellular devices and/or numbers as required. 5.3.2 Any employee, with a cellular device, who has changed locations or business units, shall submit a Helpdesk ticket with the updated information. 5.4 Any employee who is leaving the board shall initiate the cancellation of the board owned cellular device by completing a Helpdesk ticket. The board may cancel, suspend or re-assign the device and number as required. 5.5 The board retains the right to release or retain the phone number assigned to the device. If approved, any costs associated with transferring the number to personal liability shall be the responsibility of the employee. The employee has 30 days to complete the transfer, after which the number may be cancelled or re-assigned by the board. 5.6 A director, superintendent, manager or principal may authorize an employee to transfer a personal number to the board for corporate billing purposes. If approved, the employee is responsible for all associated fees and charges for the transfer. The employee shall retain the right to transfer this number back to personal liability, as required, and will assume all associated fees. 5.7 All requests related to cellular devices will require a Helpdesk ticket for service, repairs, training and updates. 5.8 All cellular devices must have a lock code enabled at all times. New devices will have a default lock code set by the Helpdesk. Upon receiving the device, the employee will be required to change the temporary lock code. Trivial lock codes such as 0000 and 1234 shall not be used.
Page 3 of 6 6. Charges Covered/Not Covered Under the Board s Plan 6.1 For board owned cellular devices, the board s plan covers: unlimited local airtime; board business long distance; unlimited Canadian texting; data usage up to the board s monthly limit; other as may be prescribed. 6.2 All other charges not included in 6.1 are the sole responsibility of the employee and shall be reimbursed by the employee to the board. 7. Cellular Device Use Outside of Canada 7.1 The cellular usage, text messaging and data plans are for board business in Canada. Usage outside of Canada will result in roaming charges. 7.1.1 Supervisors of employees traveling outside of Canada on board related business shall put a request into the Helpdesk at least one week in advance for the addition of a roaming plan. ITS will determine the options available to minimize the cost of using the cellular device for the length of the trip. 7.1.2 Employees travelling outside of Canada, on board related business shall make a reasonable effort to keep board related cellular device use to a minimum. All personal use charges are the responsibility of the employee. 8. Personal Use of a Board Owned Cellular Device by an Employee 8.1 An employee may use his/her board owned cellular device for personal use provided any personal expenses are reimbursed to the board. Refer to the Staff Website under Board, Manuals and Directories, Cellular Devices for details. It is the employee s responsibility to monitor data usage amounts. The board plan provides sufficient limits for board approved business. All charges above the board s limit shall be considered personal use and shall be reimbursed to the board. 8.2 An employee may add an unlimited Canadian Long Distance package and/or an unlimited data package to their cellular device. These packages allows the employee to make unlimited Canadian Long distance calls and/or unlimited data use by way of a non-taxable payroll deduction. 8.2.1 The board may revoke or change this privilege, or portions thereof, at any time, without notice. 9. Tampering of Board-Owned Cellular Devices 9.1 Tampering or modifying the operating system, application(s) or hardware of any boardowned device is strictly prohibited. Such actions may void the warranty of any device and/or result in an improper functioning device. Extra charges may also apply from the carrier if tampered devices or applications incur extra data, cell or service charges.
Page 4 of 6 9.2 The employee shall be personally responsible for the full replacement cost or repair costs of any tampered device and all associated extra use charges. The board retains the right to decide whether or not to repair or replace a tampered device. 10. Extended Absence, Leaves and Termination of Employment 10.1 Employees going on a leave may request to continue to use their board-owned cellular device, should it be required to carry on with board business. The request shall be approved by the director, superintendent, manager or principal. A helpdesk ticket shall be generated, by respective approver, to update the inventory status of the device. There is an additional cost to the board to maintain the device plan and/or provide a new device/plan for the employee s temporary replacement, if applicable. The respective approver shall determine if the employee is to reimburse the board for monthly plan and expenses, by way of cheque. If the additional costs are not reimbursed by the employee then the additional costs are paid by the department/school. 10.2 Employees on Lay-off, Long Term Unpaid Voluntary Leave (greater than 6 months), External secondments, and International exchanges shall not have an option to continue using their board-owned cellular device. A helpdesk ticket shall be generated by the respective approver for deactivation of the device as required. The device shall be returned to the board on the effective date of the change in employment status. If applicable, the Canadian Unlimited Long Distance plan and/or Unlimited Data plan will be terminated on return of the cellular device. 11. Payment of Invoices and Statements 11.1 The monthly invoice for all board owned cellular devices shall be paid by Business Services - Accounting and charged to the departmental code indicated on the completed FORM A2507-1. 11.2 Each director, superintendent, manager, principal is responsible to ensure that the charges to his/her budget are accurate. An online detailed statement is available for each board owned cellular device. The summary report will identify and flag employees that have exceeded pre-set billing thresholds. 11.3 A director, superintendent, manager or principal shall: 11.3.1 Receive a monthly email notification of the online statement for the cellular devices for which they are responsible. 11.3.2 Ensure that all statements are reviewed, verified and submitted, by their employees, on a monthly basis. 11.3.3 Review employee statements to ensure the personal charges are being identified correctly. 11.3.4 Ensure that the cellular devices charged to the department or locations are correct. 11.3.4.1 A Helpdesk ticket shall be created for any corrections or changes.
Page 5 of 6 11.4 The employee shall receive a monthly notice when their monthly statement is available on the staff website. All personal use expenses are to be identified and reimbursed to the board. Employees are required to: 11.4.1 Review the monthly statement and identify all personal usage (by check box). 11.4.2 Authorize and submit the monthly statement (for payroll deduction of personal expense). 11.4.3 Employees shall not skip any monthly statement, and are required to ensure statements are reviewed, authorized and submitted before the next monthly statement is issued. 11.4.3.1 Ten month (10) employees are not required to authorize and submit the statement during the two months of unscheduled regular work. Ten month employees are required to review the two months of statements upon returning to scheduled work. 12. Personally Owned Cellular Devices 12.1 Employees who are required to use a cellular device for board business may have the option of using their personally owned cellular device rather than a board owned device. 12.1.1 The board may revoke this privilege at any time, without notice. 12.2 An employee who is authorized to use his/her personally owned cellular device shall acknowledge and comply with the following conditions: 12.2.1 The employee is responsible for maintaining a cellular device in good working order for board business purposes. 12.2.2 The board is not responsible for any costs, repairs or maintenance of the employee s cellular device. 12.2.3 An employee may submit an Online Expense Claim for cellular device charges related to board business. The charges may not exceed the rate incurred by the board s cellular long distance plan. It is the employee s responsibility to ensure the expensed charges are correct. The employee shall not submit expenses for any monthly plan expenses, features, text messaging, browser fees or data charges (APM A2502 Expense Claims). First Issued: May 2007 Revised: February 2009; March 2009; June 2011; May 2012, March 2014 Issued under the authority of the Director of Education
Page 6 of 6 FORM A2507-1 CELLULAR DEVICES Employee Name: Employee #: School/Department: Position: Business Unit: Subledger: Approved charges related to the cellular device will be made to this business unit/subledger. The respective Approver must submit a Helpdesk ticket to initiate requests for both sections 1 and 2 prior to this form being forwarded to the Helpdesk. Employee and supervisor must initial the appropriate lines below. Employee Initials Employee Initials Employee Initials This employee will use a board owned cellular device for board business. A Helpdesk request has been submitted. The employee is responsible to reimburse the board for all extra charges not covered under the board plan (as identified in APM A2507) through monthly authorization and payroll deduction. The employee has read, agrees to and understands APM 2507. This employee chooses to add unlimited personal Canadian Long Distance to the board-owned device. This applies only to calls originating in Canada. A monthly non-taxable payroll deduction of $15.00 will apply. A helpdesk ticket is required to remove this option. This employee chooses to add an unlimited personal Canadian Data plan. A monthly payroll deduction of $30.00 will apply. (A helpdesk ticket is required to remove this option.) Employee Acknowledgement: The information on this form is correct including the request for payroll deduction (if initialed) I will abide by the conditions set out in APM A2507 I acknowledge receiving a copy of APM A2507 and this (signed) form. Employee Signature Date Authorization: Name (please print) Signature Position Date