Cell Phone Policies and Procedures - October 2004
Cell Phone Policies and Procedures
Released October 2004
Download the Full Report here
We sent a listserv message to members of the National Association of Local Government Auditors and conducted research on the internet to obtain information regarding cell phone policies for other municipalities around the country. We received about 20 responses to our listserv inquiry from city and county governments and obtained 12 more examples through our internet research, which were primarily from universities. We also reviewed the mayor’s Administrative Order No. 2002-4 regarding the authorization, assignment, management, use, and reimbursement of cell phone services for city employees to compare with the policies we obtained from other sources.
Cash allowances were cited as a best practice by one respondent who had done research on cell phone policies and found that as much as 40 percent of the total cost of providing cell phones was indirect costs. Providing allowances of about $30 to $35 a month in lieu of cell phones eliminates the administrative costs associated with purchasing cell phones and making monthly vendor payments; shifts the cost of equipment management, including purchasing, replacement, and maintenance, to the employee; and eliminates the need to monitor how the phones are used for purposes of optimizing rate plans and seeking reimbursement for personal calls.
Released October 2004
Download the Full Report here
We sent a listserv message to members of the National Association of Local Government Auditors and conducted research on the internet to obtain information regarding cell phone policies for other municipalities around the country. We received about 20 responses to our listserv inquiry from city and county governments and obtained 12 more examples through our internet research, which were primarily from universities. We also reviewed the mayor’s Administrative Order No. 2002-4 regarding the authorization, assignment, management, use, and reimbursement of cell phone services for city employees to compare with the policies we obtained from other sources.
Cash allowances were cited as a best practice by one respondent who had done research on cell phone policies and found that as much as 40 percent of the total cost of providing cell phones was indirect costs. Providing allowances of about $30 to $35 a month in lieu of cell phones eliminates the administrative costs associated with purchasing cell phones and making monthly vendor payments; shifts the cost of equipment management, including purchasing, replacement, and maintenance, to the employee; and eliminates the need to monitor how the phones are used for purposes of optimizing rate plans and seeking reimbursement for personal calls.