#101.1 - Wireless/Connectivity Allowance
Approved: November 13, 2023
Monitor: Vice President for Business Affairs
Purpose
Any employee required to use a personal wireless telecommunication device or internet connectivity in fulfillment of their job responsibilities may be provided with a monthly allowance. The allowance is intended to reimburse the employee for the business use and is not intended to fund the cost of the device nor pay for the entire monthly bill.
Guidelines for Eligibility
Vice presidents will annually review positions within their area to determine eligibility for this policy. Any active employee whose position meets the eligibility requirements may receive the allowance under this policy.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Full-time status employees who have a regular need to work remotely either on- or off-campus.
- Employees who are required to use data from a mobile device or use University approved applications "in the field".
- Employees who are considered on-call for after-hours response and are not provided with a duty phone.
- Employees who require internet connectivity to perform work duties from home. Employees who opt in to remote/hybrid work arrangements do not automatically qualify for this allowance.
- Students, graduate students, and part time employees are not eligible for an allowance.
Eligible expenses include:
- Cellular phone data plans if a cell phone is required to perform job responsibilities.
- Home internet bills if working from home is required to perform job responsibilities.
Allowance Amount:
- Eligible employees will receive a monthly allowance for each approved plan. The amount is determined by the department's Vice President or the President with the default amount of $25 per approved plan.
- Payment of the allowance will be on the first paycheck of each month for biweekly employees and on the regular monthly paycheck for monthly employees.
- The allowance may be changed and/or withdrawn by the University anytime.
- Any allowance will be paid by the home department from the same org as their payroll compensation.
- The allowance is considered taxable income but is not included in the employee's base salary used for SURS purposes or for calculating percentage salary increases.
Employee Responsibilities:
Selection of a personal wireless device, service plan and all interaction with the service provider, are the responsibility of the employee. The University cannot guarantee the wireless device allowance will continue for the duration of the employee's wireless device service contract. The allowance may be discontinued if the employee's job responsibilities change.
Employees are responsible for following EIU's Bring Your Own Device Policy and must abide by EIU Acceptable Use Policy when conducting business on behalf of the University.
Policy Director Responsibilities:
- Promote fiscal responsibility and review whether a wireless device is necessary, and to select alternative means of communication - e.g., landlines, pagers, and mobile radios - when such alternatives would provide adequate and less costly service to the University.
- Coordinate annual review of employee eligibility under policy.
- Maintenance of completed reimbursement forms.
- Provide forms to Payroll office for payroll reimbursement.
- Assist vice presidents and supervisors with questions in determining eligibility.
Procedures
For Employees being added to the policy:
- Supervisor should provide new employee with Wireless/Connectivity Allowance Request form to complete. Include supporting documents if necessary. Supervisor must sign and forward on to departmental VP for final approval. The approved form will be submitted to Payroll office.
- Payment of the allowance will begin with the next scheduled pay date in compliance with current payroll deadlines.
For Current Employees eligible under the Policy:
- Supervisors will need to review all allowances annually with department VPs to determine if the allowance should continue.
- Allowance forms for all eligible employees must be completed, signed and forwarded to the Payroll office each year by June 30th .
- Failure to submit forms by June 30th to the Payroll office may result in forfeiture of allowance.
For Current Employees No longer eligible under the Policy:
- Supervisors will need to complete an allowance form notifying the Payroll Office to terminate the allowance.
Wireless/Connectivity Allowance Request Form: go.eiu.edu/wirelessallowance
