Cellular Telephone Use Policy

Code: EGACA-AR

Amity School District 4J

Adopted: 9/9/98, 07/16/03

Cellular Telephones

District-owned cellular telephones may be purchased and authorized for staff use in accordance with the following:

Cellular Telephone Authorization

Cellular telephones may be assigned or made available on a temporary basis by the building principal when it is determined that:

1. The assignment of a cellular telephone to the employee is a prudent use of district resources;
2. The employee’s job responsibilities require the ability to communicate frequently and access to a district or public telephone is not readily available;
3. The employee’s job responsibilities involve situations where immediate communication is necessary to ensure the security of district property or safety of students, staff or others while on district property or engaged in district-sponsored activities.

Cellular Telephone Use

1. Cellular telephones are provided specifically to carry out official district business when other means of communications are not readily available. Cellular telephones may not be used for routine communications;
2. Cellular telephones are not to be used when a less costly alternative is readily available, unless as otherwise necessary for safety or emergency circumstances;
3. Personal use of cellular telephones is limited to making or receiving calls for family emergency purposes, including contacting a family member or child care provider to advise that the employee is going to be late arriving home or picking up children for a reason directly related to his/her official district duties, i.e., a meeting which runs later than expected or a last minute schedule change. The cost of long distance personal telephone calls will be reimbursed to the district;
4. Cellular telephones are not to be used for conversations involving district information of a confidential nature;

5. Cellular telephones are not to be loaned to others;

Cellular Telephones – EGACA-AR

(continued)

6. Employees issued a cellular telephone are responsible for its safe-keeping at all times. Defective, lost or stolen cellular telephones are to be reported immediately to the business manager who will in turn notify the service provider;
7. Cellular telephones issued for employee use are to be returned to the building principal at the conclusion of the school year, activity or as otherwise specified.

Privately-Owned Cellular Telephones

1. District employees may be reimbursed for use of privately-owned cellular telephones to conduct district business in accordance with Board policy and this regulation, with prior approval of the superintendent;
2. Personal use of privately-owned cellular telephones by employees authorized to use such equipment for district business is restricted to lunch, breaks or other such times when the employee is not on duty.

Reimbursement

1. Requests for reimbursement for authorized use of employee-owned cellular telephones are to be submitted on district provided forms, available through the office and accompanied by a copy of the billing statement with the district business-related calls highlighted;
2. All requests for reimbursement, including the highlighted billing statement must be submitted within 30 days of the end of the time period for which reimbursement is requested. Requests submitted after the reimbursement deadline has passed will be denied;
3. District reimbursement for authorized use of employee-owned cellular telephones will be made in conformance with district payment procedures.