ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

 

Type of

Procedure:     Operations                                                       Procedure No.:          E-10

 

Title:               Use of Cellular Telephone                              Policy No.:                  6.12

                        Or Air Card

 

Authority:      1001.41, F.S.                                                   Date Issued:               01/25/06

                                                                                                Revised:                      11/24/09

 

Fla. Statute:   1001.42, 1006.08-09, F.S.                              Superintendent's

                                                                                                Signature:      _______________

State Board

Rule:                                                                                                              

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Purpose:

 

To provide guidelines for the issuance and use of district cellular phones and air cards by district personnel.

 

Procedures:

 

1. Request for Participation
   
   
   1. An employee is eligible for a cell phone if the supervisor requires the employee to be available by phone beyond normal business hours, and:

                                                              i.      More than 60% of the employee’s work is conducted in the field;

                                                            ii.      The employee is required to be on call;

                                                          iii.      The employee is a critical decision-maker; or

                                                          iv.      The employee’s job duties otherwise require a cell phone.

2. Employees are eligible for a smart phone if they are a critical decision-maker and are required to have email access while attending meetings, or after hours.

 

3. Employees are eligible for an air card if responsibilities of the job require them to have Internet access when they are not on LCS property.

 

4. If an employee is eligible for a district cell phone or air card and before a request is submitted, they must review Policy 6.12, and Procedure E-10.
   
   
5.  The employee’s supervisor must make a request for an air card or cell phone to the appropriate Assistant or Associate Superintendent.  In an effort to reduce paperwork the request can be made via email on the District’s Cell Phone Request Form.  Requests may be made any time during the year.  The request must include:

                                                              i.      Employee’s name;

                                                            ii.      School or Department;

                                                          iii.      Date of Request;

                                                          iv.      Justification for participation;

                                                            v.      Supervisor’s name and signature approving the request;

                                                          vi.       Proper budget coding ; and

                                                        vii.      Employee’s acknowledgement and signature of receipt and review of Policy 6.12, and Administrative Procedure E-10 (a statement of confirmation in the email).

 

6. The Assistant/Associate Superintendent is responsible for:

                                                              i.      Approving or denying the request for a district cell phone or air card based on the requirements in Policy 6.12;

                                                            ii.      Keeping the signed Cell Phone Request Form on file;

                                                          iii.      Notifying the Purchasing department that the employee has been approved for participation and provide a copy of the approved request; and

                                                          iv.      Annually evaluating all cell phones and air cards in their departments and determining if each employee is still eligible and still requires a phone or air card to fulfill their responsibilities.

g.      District cell phones and air cards that are approved shall be processed through the Purchasing Department so that they are on the district plan and with the authorized school board carrier.   Schools and departments may not contract independently or with other carriers for phones to be paid from general funds. 

 

2.      Reimbursement for Personal Calls on Business Cell Phone

 

a.       A detailed billing statement shall be sent to the director/administrator of each cost center for review directly from the vendor via email.  Each director/administrator is responsible for:

                                                              i.      Reviewing each cell phone statement to ensure that the number of minutes used is consistent with the employee’s responsibilities;

                                                            ii.      Distributing the cell phone statement via email to the employee responsible for the phone; along with the required reimbursement information.

                                                          iii.      Collecting the cell phone statement; signed by the employee, and any related payment for personal calls.  The Director/Administrator is responsible for receiving and tracking the cell phone billing of each employee in their department to ensure that either no personal calls were made or that payment for such calls has been submitted; and

                                                          iv.      Submitting the cell phone billing statement, with payment when necessary, to the finance department for final processing and payment.

b.      Each employee who has a district authorized cell phone is responsible for:

                                                              i.      Strictly adhering to the requirements in Policy 6.12 and Administrative Procedure E-10;

                                                            ii.      Verifying authorized calls;

                                                          iii.      Noting the purpose of any long distance calls;

                                                          iv.      Identifying personal calls and providing payment for such personal calls at a rate of $.05/minute.  Personal calls are the responsibility of the user; and

                                                            v.      Payment must be made to the employee’s supervisor within 14 days of receipt of the detailed billing statement.

 

3.      Reimbursement for Business Calls on Personal Cell Phone

1. Reimbursement for business calls made on a privately owned cell phone shall be at the actual cost of itemized minutes used.  If the minutes and costs associated are not itemized on the phone bill, reimbursement for business calls shall be at 5 cents per minute, not to exceed the total cost of the cell phone bill.  
2. The employee must make a written or electronic request for reimbursement to their Director which must include:

                                                              i.      Employee’s name;

                                                            ii.      School or Department;

                                                          iii.      Supervisor’s name;

                                                          iv.      Justification for phone calls; and

                                                            v.      A copy of the bill(s) indentifying the number called/received, and total minutes.

c.       The Director is responsible for approving or denying the request for reimbursement and forwarding on to the appropriate Assistant or Associate Superintendent.

4. The Assistant or Associate Superintendent is responsible for:

                                                              i.      Approving or denying the request for reimbursement based on the requirements in Policy 6.12;

                                                            ii.      Keeping the approval email on file;

                                                          iii.      Notifying the Finance department that the employee has been approved by forwarding the approved email request; and

4. Cell Phone Safety
   
   
   1. Safe use of cell phones is of the utmost importance.  Under no circumstances are employees allowed to place themselves or others at risk.  Employees who are charged with traffic violations resulting from the use of a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle will be solely responsible for all liabilities that result from such action.
      
      
   2. Cell phones may not be used to defame, harass, intimidate or threaten any other person.  Employees are prohibited from using their cell phones in any illegal, illicit or offensive manner.

 

5. Failure to adhere to guidelines
   
   
   1. Failure to adhere to the district’s cellular telephone guidelines as provided in Policy 6.12, and this procedure, may result in disciplinary action including but not limited to:
      
      

                                                              i.      Reimbursement to the district of cellular telephone funds expended on the employee’s behalf; and

                                                            ii.      Revocation of an employee’s issued cell phone.

LEON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD

CELLULAR PHONE REQUEST

 

 

NAME OF REQUESTOR:   _______________________________________________

 

SCHOOL OR DEPARTMENT: _____________________________________________

 

DATE REQUESTED: ____________________________________________________

 

BRIEF JUSTIFICATION:

 

  

 

 

 

CODING	FUND	FUNCTION	OBJECT	CENTER	PROJECT	PROGRAM
SERVICE		7900	370
EQUIPMENT*		7900	642

* Indicate N/A if instrument is not needed.

         

 

APPROVAL/SIGN OFF:

 

1.  COST CENTER ADMINISTRATOR:______________________________________________________

 

2.  ASSISTANT/ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT:_____________________________________________

 

 

 

I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND BOARD POLICY 6.12 AND PROCEDURE E-10:

 

SIGNATURE OF REQUESTOR                                  PRINT NAME                                  DATE