Purpose of wireless communication allowance
Compensate selected employees who must use
personally-owned cell phone or internet
service for university business purposes, in
addition to personal use, by adding a
one-time or monthly taxable payment through
payroll.
Options for employees who use a cell phone
or home internet service for University
purposes
Use a personally-owned and paid cell phone
or home internet service and receive a
communication allowance through payroll
(personal and business use)
Use a personally-owned and paid cell phone
or home internet service and do not receive
a communication allowance or reimbursement
for business use (business use is determined
not to be a job requirement or so infrequent
that an allowance is deemed not necessary –
this is a department decision)
Communication Allowance Options
Departments may pay employees an equipment
allowance for the purchase of a cell phone,
pager, air card, or PDA device
Allowance based on the actual cost of the
equipment up to $200 maximum, including
accessories for cellular devices, such as
head sets, belt clips, device cases,
chargers, etc. that may be necessary for use
in the work environment that are purchased
at the same time as the cellular device
If the equipment purchase includes a mail-in
rebate, the rebate amount must be subtracted
from the purchase price to determine the
actual cost of the equipment
Employees must provide the department with a
copy of the purchase receipt within 60 days
of purchase
Employees are eligible to receive an
equipment allowance once each three years,
assuming they purchase a new device at least
three years after receiving their previous
equipment allowance
Departments may pay employees a monthly
allowance for a wireless communication
device, such as a cell phone, pager, PDA, or
combination device (e.g., cell phone/pager,
cell phone/PDA, etc.)
Maximum monthly allowance for cell phone or
cell phone/pager service combination is $50
Maximum monthly allowance for a PDA,
PDA/cell phone, PDA/pager, or PDA/pager/cell
phone service combination is $75
Employees can only receive one monthly
allowance for a wireless communication
device (e.g., an employee who has two cell
phones can only receive one $50 allowance;
an employee who has a cell phone and a
separate PDA device can either receive a $50
allowance for the cell phone or a $75
allowance for the PDA, not both)
Departments may pay employees a monthly
allowance for home internet service or an
air card (not both)
Maximum monthly allowance for home internet
service or air card is $50
Points to Remember About Communication
Allowances
The wireless communication device or
internet service purchased by the employee
is the personal property of the employee and
can be used in any way he/she deems
appropriate. The university has no
obligation to pay for this equipment or
service.
Communication allowances are paid through
payroll and considered taxable income to the
employee. Submit them on a PAR (see
instructions below).
The department head determines who should
receive a communication allowance, and
re-evaluates this decision each year.
Communication allowances may be withdrawn by
the department at any time.
Employees who receive a communication
allowance must notify their department of
the current wireless communication number
within five business days of activation and
notify their department of any deactivation
of service within five business days.
Communication allowances are not
intended to fully reimburse employees for
their out-of-pocket expense, since the
device/service may be used by the employee
for both personal and business use.
Employees who purchase a cell phone,
pager, air card, or PDA for university business use should be aware of the following:
Employees who want to connect to the UH network with
their PDA should ask their department to
submit an IT Work Request. IT will notify
the employee whether they can configure the
PDA to the UH network at no charge to the
employee or department.
Some vendors/providers offer discounts to UH
employees for equipment and/or services,
though employees are not required to use
them (click
here to view).
Visit IT’s
Cellular Device Website above for
helpful information you need to know prior
to making a purchase. Employees may also
call IT Customer Service at 713-743-1111 with any
questions about returning a device or
selecting a new one.
Instructions for Adding a Communication
Allowance to a PAR
Using the Job Information page of the PAR,
enter the employee’s EmplId. In the
Requested Job Action section:
Type the
effective date of the allowance. Leave all
of the other fields in this section blank.
In the Remarks section, type the
following wording for a monthly
communication allowance, “Monthly
telecommunication allowance effective
(insert date), earning code 442, total
monthly amount (insert amount), cost center:
(insert department cost center), PS account
code: (insert business unit-speed type).”
For a one-time equipment allowance, use the
Job Information page of the PAR. Enter the
employee’s Emplid and in the Requested Job
Action section:
Type the effective date
of the allowance. Leave all of the other
fields in this section blank.
In the
Remarks section, type the following wording
for a one-time equipment allowance,
“One-time payment for purchase of
communication device. Earning code 442,
total: (insert total), cost center: (insert
department cost center), PS account code:
(insert business unit-speed type).”
Must obtain supervisor approval and
college/division certifying signature on the
PAR and send directly to the Payroll
Department for processing.
Exceptions to Policy
Requests for exception to this policy must
be approved by the appropriate vice
president and submitted like other MAPP
exception requests to the Associate
Vice President/Associate Vice Chancellor,
Finance for consideration.
