What It’s Costing You to Use Your Cellphone for Work

If you live in California and use your cellphone for work, it’s likely you should receive reimbursement from your employer.

Even if the work-related calls and texts don’t add anything to your cellphone bill, California employers are required to reimburse employees if a personal cellphone is required for use on the job.

If you no longer work for an employer who required you to use your personal cellphone for work reasons, you could still be eligible for compensation for expenses you incurred on behalf of that employer during that period of time.

Reimbursement rates vary, but California Labor Code Section 2802 says employees should be reimbursed by the employer “for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of his or her duties, or of his or her obedience to the directions of the employer.”

Using your own internet service, computer and other equipment or supplies that you have purchased on your own and use on the job also may be eligible for reimbursement under California labor laws. Travel expenses, uniform purchases and transportation expenses such as mileage and parking that are in addition to getting to and from the primary place of employment could qualify as reimbursable expenses, as well.

Cost to Use Your Cellphone for Work

Back in 2014, the California court of appeals ruled that an employer is required to reimburse an employee a “reasonable percentage” of the employee’s cellphone bill if the cellphone is used for work-related purposes.

According to Samsung, a survey of 500 senior technology professionals conducted by Oxford Economics found that cellphone reimbursements among them varied from about $30 to $50 per month.

Using your own smartphone for work often is referred to as BYOD (bring your own device) and may also include a movement towards BYOT (bring your own technology) that includes using your own computer, laptop or apps to complete your job functions, according to TechTarget.com.

If you use your own technology to assist in doing your job, California law says your employer should reimburse you a “reasonable” amount. In some cases, employers may play it safe by reimbursing employees one hundred percent of their cellphone bills, but more often than not, a predetermined monthly stipend is extended to all employees.

Employers also might ask employees to submit monthly expense reimbursement requests to cover any portion of cellphone use for work that is not covered by the predetermined flat rate already provided by the employer. If the employer does request an expense report regarding the use of your cellphone for work, the employer is mitigating the company’s risk of paying too little, and you are assured of receiving an adequate reimbursement amount.

Companies may try to determine if employees’ daily work requires them to heavily depend upon their personal cellphones. If an employee conducts appliance repairs by going from one home to another and relies upon his or her own cellphone for communication on the next service call, that situation is different from the office worker who might receive a text once a week to make sure the office alarm is set prior to departure.

If you have previously worked for an employer in California who required you to use your cellphone for work but provided you little to no monetary stipend in return, you could be eligible to participate in a California labor law class action lawsuit investigation.

Join a Free California Worker Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you work for a California employer and were not reimbursed for work expenses, you may qualify to join this California workers reimbursement lawsuit investigation.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.