Section 192-4-007 - Use of State Property007.01. No employee shall use state property or time for their own personal use or benefit. Therefore, NCBVl employees must go outside the work area for such things as postage, photocopies, computer use, sending and receiving faxes, or any other personal business. Personal business shall be conducted on an employee's own time, either on breaks or non-work hours.007.02. All employees must take every precaution to see that waste is avoided and that care is exercised at all times to ensure that employees, contract staff (such as drivers), and volunteers properly care for state property.007.03.TELEPHONE USAGE. NCBVl telephones are provided for the conducting of state business. NCBVi telephones may be used for essential persona! business as long as no costs are charged to the state, the use does not interfere with state business and the use is kept to a minimum. 007.03A. Essential personal business is defined as local or long distance calls to children at home, teachers, doctors, day care centers and baby sitters to inform family members of unexpected schedule changes or other essential personal business. Essential personal long distance calls shall be either collect, charged to a third-party, non-state number, or charged to a personal credit card.007.04.MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS. The state provides mobile communication devices to agency personnel to utilize in the performance of their official state duties when deemed necessary. Employees are not permitted to make or receive personnel calls on state mobile communication devices unless it is of an emergency nature or as state in § 007.05. Each emergency situation will be evaluated on a case by case basis by the appropriate supervisor or manager. An example of an emergency situation would be to notify someone that a trip has been extended and the previously scheduled return time will be delayed. 007.04A. Employees operating state vehicles will use extreme caution if it is necessary to use a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle.007.05.CALLING CARDS. When on NCBVl business away from the home base, employees may use their state mobile device to make one three-minute long-distance call to their home per day.007.06.COMPUTER USAGE. All communications sent or received via computer functions, including email and internet logs, are the property of NCBVl and are subject to being retrieved and viewed by authorized staff at any time. End users should have no expectations of privacy regarding personal business conducted on NCBVl electronic equipment or on the State Data Communications Network unless protected by state or federal statute. The information is generally retrievable even after the sender or receiver has erased it from the file. Computers, including laptops, are tools for work and should only be used for work-related activities. Only software owned/licensed and distributed by NCBVl using the standard software distribution methods will be authorized for use by NCBVl staff. Software not distributed in this fashion will be removed from the PC with no requirement to notify the user. User computer identification numbers and passwords shall not be "loaned" to anyone in the agency or outside the agency without supervisory approval. It is against state policy to use state equipment for unauthorized personal use. Computer use is also governed by the State of Nebraska, "Acceptable Use Policy" located at http://www.doc.state.ne.us/policies/AUP.pdf, which will be provided to all employees. Employees must be familiar with this policy when using a State of Nebraska Computer. 007.07A.COMPUTER ASSETS. Employees of NCBVI shall report lost or suspected theft of all computer equipment or other property including computer software to appropriate management personnel. Note that copying computer software from an NCBVI computer and placing it on a home PC is theft. 007.07A1. To prevent unauthorized losses, all moves of computer equipment shall require prior written approval of the Technology Program manager in consultation with the Fixed Asset Inventory Coordinator so the location can be maintained on the Fixed Asset Tracking System.007.07A2. Staff members of NCBVI are responsible for reporting damaged computer equipment to appropriate managers. For items management elects to replace or remove, disposal shall involve the Technology Program Manager, the agency Inventory Coordinator (Executive Director's Administrative Assistant), and the Department of Administrative Services as required by statute.007.07A3. No computer, hardware or software should be destroyed or discarded without approval from the Technology Program Manager and the agency Inventory Coordinator who will work with the Department of Administrative Services.007.08.OTHER ASSETS. Property other than computer equipment that is lost or suspected stolen should be reported to the employee's immediate supervisor and to the agency Inventory Coordinator. Damaged equipment must be reported to appropriate managers. Replacement, removal, or disposal of equipment shall involve the agency inventory Coordinator and the Department of Administrative Services as required by statute.007.09.USE AND OPERATION OF STATE MOTOR VEHICLES.007.09A.DRIVING POLICY FOR STATE BUSINESS. NCBVI has a responsibility to the public to allow only employees with driving records indicating a pattern of safe driving practices to operate a motor vehicle on state business. It is the policy of NCBVI to ensure that when our employees drive a motor vehicle on state business, they do so legally, safely and defensively. In addition, independent contractors driving for NCBVI under contract will be subject to the same policies, expectations, and rules that apply to NCBVI employees. (Refer to the Department of Administrative Services Transportation Services Bureau (DAS TSB) Rules and Regulations for additional information on driving vehicles for state business.).007.09B.EMPLOYEES DRIVING ON STATE BUSINESS ON A REGULAR OR OCCASIONAL BASIS. The supervisor or Personnel Officer will verify that the employee has a valid driver's license from his/her domicile state. If the employee will be driving a personal vehicle on state business, proof of required liability insurance will also be verified. Employees who drive on state business are required to successfully complete an approved defensive driving course within six months of their employment or notification of this policy. State rules and regulations require that every state employee authorized to drive a state-owned vehicle shall also have a State of Nebraska identification card registered with the Department of Administrative Services, Transportation Services Bureau. 007.09C. NCBVI periodically reviews the license status and driving record of employees assigned an ID card. The assessment of six or more points in the preceding 24 months on a driving record is the indicator for an in-depth review. State rules and regulations require that each employee sign an affidavit that he/she has read the Transportation Services Bureau Policies and Procedures Manual before operating a state-owned vehicle (NAC Title 8, Ch. 1, Sec 003.).007.09D. Employees shall comply with applicable driver's licensing laws and shall also notify the agency if they are experiencing a medical condition or are using medication that would interfere with the safe operation of a motor vehicle. If a medical condition appears to be interfering with an employee's safe operation of a motor vehicle, the agency shall request a medical release from the employee's physician indicating whether the employee is medically capable of driving as part of his/her job duties.007.09E.RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYEES WHO DRIVE ON STATE BUSINESS. Any employee failing to meet the responsibilities described within this policy and the Department of Administration Services, Transportation Services Bureau Rules and Regulations shall be subject to corrective personnel action and may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.007.09F.REPORTING OF CITATIONS.007.09F1. Employees shall notify their supervisor by the beginning of the next working day any time a citation for either of the following serious moving violations occurs: 1) motor vehicle homicide or 2) driving under the influence. Employees shall report all citations for moving violations received while on state business no later than the first working day following the citation to their supervisor. State rules and regulations require that the Department of Administrative Services, Transportation Services Bureau be notified if a ticketed violation is being contested. Employees shall notify their supervisor immediately if their driver's license is suspended, is revoked, or becomes invalid.007.09F2. NCBVI employees may not operate a state vehicle or a personal vehicle being used for state business under the influence of drugs or alcohol.192 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 4, § 007
Amended effective 7/2/2019