State Long Distance Policy

The state telephone network is provided for OFFICIAL STATE BUSINESS ONLY.  Personal long distance calls are clearly contrary to provisions of State Law. 

State statute 81-1120.27 states: The facilities of the state's telecommunications are provided for the conduct of state business.  In addition, the state's telecommunications systems may be used by state employees and officials for local and long distance calls to children at home, teachers, doctors, day care centers, and baby sitters, to family members to inform them of unexpected schedule changes, and for other essential personal business.  The use of the state's telecommunications systems for essential personal business shall be kept to a minimum and shall not interfere with the conduct of state business.  Essential personal long distance calls shall be either collect, charged to a third-party, nonstate number, or charged to a personal credit card.

Section 49-14,101(4) of the Nebraska Political Accountability and Disclosure Act provides that no public official or public employee shall use personnel, property, resources, or funds under their official care and control other than in accordance with law.  Therefore, to misuse the state telephone system is to violate Section 49-14,101(4).  A violation could result in the assessment of a civil penalty of up to $1,000 or it could result in criminal prosecution.  These consequences would be in additional to any disciplinary action taken by the employee's agency.