Mobile Communication Allowance Regulation 504

I. Purpose

This regulation authorizes appropriate UNCSA employees, upon approval, to receive a set allowance for the use of a personal Mobile Communication Device (“MCD”) in the execution of duties associated with employment.

II. Scope

This regulation applies to designated employees who are authorized to carry mobile communication devices to fulfill their job responsibilities.

III. Definitions

A. “Mobile Communication Device” or “MCD” refers to devices such as cellular phones, “smartphones” and other similar devices.

IV. Regulation

A. Designated employees who are required to carry mobile communication devices to fulfill their job responsibilities and who opt to use their personal MCD’s are eligible to receive an allowance for this use.

B. By virtue of their job responsibilities, the designated employees are:

1. Members of the Executive Council and Deans who must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (24/7); OR

2. Employees that are designated by either the Executive Council or Deans that need 24/7 availability to meet institutional needs; OR

3. Employees that must be available 24/7 to meet safety, facilities, medical, student, and/or information technology service needs; OR

4. Employees who are in travel status at least 20% of the time.

C. All MCD allowances mush be approved at the executive level.

D. Allowance rates are based on UNC General Administration’s Mobile Communication Device Allowance Policy and associated cost study.

E. Employees may port UNCSA numbers to a private service provider upon approval by the Chief Technology Officer or their designee.

F. Employees receiving MCD allowances are required to have their MCD device with them, charged and operational at all times.

G. MCD numbers will be listed on a non-public UNCSA directory.

H. The allowance and records of associated business use will be subject to the Public Records Act.

I. UNC School of the Arts’ MCD allowances will be paid through payroll as a non-taxable cell phone reimbursement that requires IRS documentation for business use.

J. The Executive Council may suspend the MCD allowance program if deemed necessary due to budgetary concerns. Adequate notice will be given to the MCD allowance program participants to allow for expiration of personal wireless contracts.

V. Revision History

A. February 17, 2011 – Adopted by Board of Trustees as part of UNCSA Policy Manual

B. March 5, 2012 – Revised to accommodate changes in types of MCDs issued and supported.

C. August 28, 2012 – Revised to include a provision allowing the executive council to suspend the MCD allowance program if allowance rates exceed UNCSA negotiated rates.

D. February 4, 2013 – Revised to comply with OSBM documentation requirements.

E. July 18. 2013 – Revised to align with UNC-General Administration’s MCD policy and study on current plans/rates of cellular providers.

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UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Mobile Communication Allowance Procedures

Procedure 504

I. Participation

A. To receive a MCD allowance, the UNCSA Mobile Communication Device Form in electronic format must be completed, signed by the employee, and routed through:

1. Department head for approval;

2. CTO for review;

3. Budget Office for financial approval;

4. Appropriate executive council member for approval; AND

5. Human Resources for documentation purposes.

6. Upon final approval, the completed “UNCSA Mobile Communication Device Form” will be submitted to:

a. CTO for final review.

b. The appropriate approval-granting department;

c. Human Resources;

d. Financial services/payroll for processing

II. Review of Allowances

A. Each department head must review all MCD allowances annually to determine if justification still exists for the allowance or device by completing the “UNCSA MCD Annual Certification Form”.

B. Annual certifications and required allowance participant documentation (a copy of a personal annual contract or summary page from a monthly billing statement) are due to the CTO each year on June 1st.

C. The CTO will review the documents and forward them to the Executive Council for approval.

D. Should it be determined that an employee no longer qualifies for the allowance, the department must submit an updated “UNCSA Mobile Communication Device Form” to end the allowance payments.

E. The university will bear no responsibility for any termination fees associated with an individual who may choose to terminate a personal mobile device contract.

F. In the case of extraordinary circumstances, petitions for reimbursement of termination fees will be reviewed by the Executive Council on a case by case basis and be reviewed only for cases of extraordinary circumstances.

III. Accounting

A. UNC School of the Arts’ MCD allowances will be paid through payroll as a non-taxable cell phone reimbursement that requires IRS documentation for business use.

B. Because the allowance includes equipment depreciation, UNCSA will neither purchase nor replace equipment for employees receiving an allowance.

C. Departments will be responsible for budgeting for MCD allowance expenses.