7530.01 - WIRELESS COMMUNICATION ALLOWANCE AND STAFF USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES

Vermilion Local School District

Bylaws & Policies

7530.01 - WIRELESS COMMUNICATION ALLOWANCE AND STAFF USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES
Eligibility for Wireless Communication Allowance

Wireless communication devices ("WCDs") (i.e. cellular and wireless telephones, pager/beepers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), Blackberries/Smartphones, WiFi-enabled or broadband access devices, etc.) enable communication whenever a situation arises necessitating immediate contact, regardless of the person's location at the time. Therefore, the Superintendent is authorized to determine which employees qualify for the Board's WCD allowance. The Superintendent is further authorized to terminate any allowance as s/he deems necessary.

Amount of Allowance

The allowance shall consist of the following:

A.	A monthly allowance of up to a specific dollar amount for wireless telephone service and Internet/data connection in the following amounts, effective November 1, 2011.

	1.	Maintenance/HVAC Director	$80.00

	2.	Superintendent, Treasurer, Curriculum Director	$70.00

	3.	Technology Coordinator	$70.00

	4.	Other Blackberry or Smart phone allowance as authorized by the Superintendent	$60.00

B.	The allowance is not intended to compensate the employee's dollar-for-dollar cost for wireless service. Under no circumstances will the monthly allowance be more than the cost of the employee's monthly service plan plus an approved amount to cover the employee's cost of acquiring the device.

Allowance is Considered Taxable Income

Staff members who receive an allowance are not required to submit a log documenting their business-related use of the WCD; however, they will be informed that the allowance is considered additional compensation for income tax purposes (i.e. the allowance will be paid through the District's payroll system as taxable income and appropriate payroll taxes on the amount of the allowance will be withheld from the employee's paycheck, and the amount of the allowance paid during the calendar year will be included in the wages line on the staff members' year-end W-2 statements). For determination of individual taxability, employees should check with their tax advisor.

Employee's Responsibilities

The employee is responsible for choosing his/her WCD, the voice and/or data plan, and the wireless service provider. Since the WCD is the property of the employee, the WCD may be used for personal calls and be combined or enhanced with other personal plans (i.e. the employee may also, at his/her own expense, add extra services or equipment features, as desired). The employee is responsible for paying all monthly service charges in full and on time. The Board does not accept any liability for claims, charges, or disputes between the service provider and the staff member. Because the employee is personally responsible for the WCD, any replacement for loss or damage will be at the expense of the employee. Such replacement or repair must be completed promptly and the Superintendent must be notified if the employee will not be available by their WCD for a period of time.

Employees should contact the carrier through which they purchased their WCD and purchased their wireless service for support.