Who can use this Policy

This policy can be used by all employers.
Commentary

This Policy is designed for employers who wish to provide mobile phones to employees for work-related purposes, or where the employer wishes to reimburse employees for work-related phone calls made from personal mobile phones.

The Policy has been drafted broadly to provide some flexibility for employers in determining the arrangements which will apply to their workplace.

This document provides that employees are supplied with a phone primarily to allow contact with the staff member by other staff or customers. The Policy also reminds employees to keep private usage of the mobile phone to a minimum.

The Policy also requires that employees must not use mobile phones in such as way as to damage the legitimate interests of the business. The Policy provides that non-compliance with the terms of the policy can result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment.

Before your business allows its employees to access work systems from their own mobile phone, you may want to ensure employees use passwords and report lost phones if confidential or sensitive information is stored on the phone. Such steps should be taken prior to allowing access to the employer’s system to avoid breaches of confidentiality, unauthorised disclosure of confidential information and use of personal information.

Where the mobile phone has email and internet functionality, employers should supplement this Policy with a policy dealing with email and internet use.

This Policy should also be accompanied by a policy dealing with employer property. Employers should also ensure that the Policy is consistent with any clause in an employee's contract of employment dealing with mobile phone usage.