Loading...
09-686 Personal or City Cell PhonesCITY OF MERIDIAN RESOLUTION NO. 09-~ BY THE CITY COUNCIL: BIRD, HOAGLUN, ROUNTREE, ZAREMBA A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN TO AMEND THE CITY OF MERIDIAN STANDARD OPERATING POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL REGARDING NUMBER 6.2.6 -PERSONAL OR CITY ISSUED CELL PHONES POLICY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF MERIDIAN, IDAHO WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Council have authority over the operations, polices, and procedures for the City of Meridian; WHEREAS the City has previously approved a Standard Operating Policy and Procedures Manual in 2002 for application to all employees of the City; WHEREAS the City Council may amend the Manual from time to time as necessary to incorporate changes as needed; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN, IDAHO AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The City of Meridian Standard Operating Policies and Procedures Manual is hereby amended as to Policy 6.2.6 -Personal or City Issued Cell Phones; a copy of said policy is attached and incorporated by reference as Exhibit "A". SECTION 2. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect upon adoption and approval. ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Meridian, Idaho, this ~ day of ~D (~.e~L , 2009. APPROVED by the Mayor of the City of Meridian, Idaho, this ~D day of Oc~-y Joel--, 2009. ATTEST: By: ._n~ Jaycee .Holman, City Clerk APPROVED: Mayor CITY OF MERIDIAN POLICY AND PROCEDURES MANUAL PERSONAL OR CITY ISSUED CELL PHONES - 2009 ~. ~, 9ti '. ``~(SEA~Q) _ SEAL UGC ~~ ,M~j~i6~ re ~ ,9 ~i'0~2.6 - ,,,, co Y ~ ,,. UN7 CITY OF MERIDIAN STANDARD OPERATING POLICY AND PROCEDURE NUMBER 6.2.6 SUBJECT: PERSONAL OR CITY ISSUED CELL PHONES PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to provide a set of guidelines governing the use of both personal or city issued cell-telephones by City employees and to provide guidelines, criteria and conditions for reimbwsement for business use of personal cell telephones. POLICY: While at work, employees aze to exercise the same discretion in using personal cell phones as they do for City issued cell phones. Excessive personal calls dwing the workday, regardless of the phone used, interfere with employee productivity and can be distracting to others. Therefore, excessive personal calls (regazdless of the phone used) during an employee's workday are prohibited. No rights or continuing obligations shall be established by this policy. AUTHORITY & RESPONSIBILITY: Department Directors have the authority and responsibility to manage their employees and the need and use of cell phones for City business. Department Directors are responsible to enswe that employees that need to use cell phones to conduct City business aze doing so and that the usage and need is appropriate. Directors have the final approval over whether an employee is provided a city issued cell phone, reimbursed for the use of [heir personal cell phone, or whether the employee can use their personal cell phone during work time. PROCEDURES AND RELATED INFORMATION I. DESK TELEPHONES City telephones are to be used for business purposes. All incoming or outgoing personal telephone calls must be of short dwation. II. CELL PHONES A. CITY ISSUED 1. PHONES ISSUED TO A LOCATION, VEHICLE, OR POSITION Some city issued cell phones are assigned to a location, vehicle, or position. (i.e. Settler's Pazk splash pad, fire engine; on-call responder) The purpose of these phones is to perform the necessary duties or responsibilities of the assignment. These phones may only be used for business purposes only. Personal use of these phones is strictly prohibited. Use of the city phone to notify a family or household member of the work schedule or related business information is allowed. 2. PHONES ISSUED TO INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES The City recognizes the need to assign phones to individual employees based upon the needs of their position. The City may also not want employees that aze assigned phones to also carry personal cell phones in the work place at the same time. Employees that are assigned City issued cell phones may be prohibited from using a personal cell phone during their work. Personal use of the City cell phone during business hours must be approved by the Director. If personal use is allowed then employees will be assessed the IRS taxable benefit percentage for the assigned phone. If allowed during work hours then all incoming or outgoing personal telephone calls must be of short duration, but can never interfere with the employees' assigned work. B. PERSONAL CELL PHONE 1. REIMBURSEMENT Some employees may need to use cell phones to conduct legitimate City business and such use is regarded as a necessity. Such employees may already have a cell phone and service for their personal use. It is cumbersome and generally undesirable to carry two cell phones; therefore, in these cases, the City may provide a cell phone allowance per month for employees who must regularly use his/her personal cell phone for work purposes, subject to the following conditions: a. The Department Director must first authorize the employee to use his/her personal cell phone for City business. An authorization form shall be signed by the Department Director. The employee, Human Resources, and Finance and shall retain a copy of this authorization form. The authorization form will identify the employee and the employee's personal cell phone number. b. Employees utilizing this policy and receiving compensation for personal cell phone use for City business will be expected to maintain the cell phone in good working order and be available for City business calls as needed and as reasonably expected. c. Employees' cannot receive a reimbursement that is greater than the total cost of the monthly service. Employees aze not reimbursed for any tax paid for the cell service. If granted by the Director, reimbursement for cell service shall be a minimum of $10.00 and a maximum of $50.00. Once determined the amount shall remain fixed unless the service is discontinued or the cost decreases. Any reimbursement over $50.00 per month must be approved by the Mayor. d. The employee is responsible for turning in the €xst-age necessary documentation of his/her cell phone bill to document that the employee still has the cell phone to his/her supervisor and to request their reimbursement. e. The City will not be liable for the loss of personal cellulaz phones brought into or used in the workplace. f The employee is responsible for the administration and payment of all personal cellular phone bills and in no way will create financial liability for the City beyond the amount agreed to by the Department to be paid as the stipend. g. Employees that receive reimbursement shall be taxed on the entire amount of the reimbursement. C. BLACKBERRY/"SMARTPHONE" or SIMILAR SERVICE Certain employees may be assigned/allowed "Blackberry" or Smartphone or similar service on their cell phone. If necessary the City may purchase the necessary device for this service. If purchased by the City then the device shall remain the property of the City. The employee may be reimbursed for this service if the service is provided on the employees' personal cell phone. This reimbursement shall not be taxed. This reimbursement is separate from the reimbursement for cell service. If the service becomes unnecessary the City shall no longer provide reimbursement. The reimbursement provided by the City shall establish any right by the employee to receive it. The City may decide to eliminate the reimbursement or change the conditions of it at any time. MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION The City reserves the right to modify or terminate any and all conditions of this policy depending upon changing needs as defined by the City.