Conference 7.286::digital

	Some of us make stronger partitions than others, and maybe it's
	just habit, but I've always felt it's an error to use one's
	personal mechanical resources as routine part of one's job, except
	trivially or in emergencies.  Of course, doing so is integral to 
	some jobs, e.g. machinists or mechanics whose job descriptions 
	sometimes stipulate they use their own tools.

	One problem with using your own tools unreimbursed is that you 
	hide the cost of doing the job.

	Regards, Robert.

        If a particular tool is required to do your job, and it isn't
        being supplied in the office environment, it's reasonable for
        you to ask DEC to reimburse you for your expenses associated
        with providing the tool for DEC's benefit.  After all, it is
        a business expense.  If DEC isn't willing to provide the tool,
        and isn't willing to reimburse you for DEC's share of the cost
        of the tool you provide, then you have two choices:  treat
        the cost of the tool as an unreimbursed business expense (which
        you *might* be able to deduct from your taxes if you itemize
        and fill out the right forms), or explain to your manager that
        you can't do some part of your job.  The former is a nuisance,
        but in some cases it is the lesser of two evils.
        
        Tom

    I have heard of groups that pick up maintenance contracts on
    employee owned DEC equipment. I've also heard of people having
    loaned hardware attached to their systems. I don't know it
    there is a policy or not.
    
    Employee owned DEC equipment is easier to handle of course. I
    make pretty good use of my private Rainbow at home. There is
    no support contract on it but I have sort of an understanding
    that if I have a problem with it I'll get help getting it fixed.
    If I didn't want to use the Rainbow I could take home a VT240
    but I don't need two terminals at home. 
    
    Most of the people in my group have an LA50 class printer (DEC
    owned) at home so I share buying paper/ribbons with DEC (informally)
    based on my personal and business usage of my printer.
    
    I don't know how you would handle non-DEC equipment at home but
    if you let them bring it in to work you have a moral obligation
    (in my opinion) to give it the same care/support you would DEC
    owned or leased equipment. I don't think there is a policy to
    cover this though.
    
    		Alfred

        Actually, U.S. PP&P Policy 5.11, the Business Expense Policy,
        does address this to some extent.  It currently says in part:
        
                           Business Expense Policy

SCOPE

Worldwide

POLICY

Digital reimburses employees for actual and reasonable expenses
incurred while conducting Company business.  The Company only
reimburses expenses incurred personally by the employee or expenses
incurred by the employee for other Digital and non-Digital
individuals on matters directly related to Company business.
Employees are expected to use good judgment when incurring business
expenses and for promptly and correctly reporting such expenses.
Authorized approvers are responsible for reviewing and approving
business expense reports to assure expenses are justified and in
accordance with this policy.  For example, authorizing business
travel to areas outside of one's responsibility should occur only
when there is a defined business need.

PRACTICE

[...]

Miscellaneous Procurement Vouchers (U.S. only)

Miscellaneous Procurement Vouchers must be used for miscellaneous
purchases paid for by the employee which are not of a recurring
nature.  If the purchase is over $100, both the Cost Center Manager
and Purchasing must approve the voucher.

NOTE:  All purchases on a miscellaneous procurement voucher require
an original receipt.

[...]

    ``Actual and reasonable expenses'' are difficult to quantify. Again,
    with automobile use, we are given a rate (n� per mile). Do we (can
    we) calculate cpu seconds for an employee's Mac?
    
    I don't expect to ask an employee to use his/her equipment. Still,
    if they choose to use it, and it does work better or in a way that
    we could not do it, I think they ought to be compensated. If they
    choose to use their modem when we have a comparable model avaiable,
    I don't think we have that kind of obligation.

.5> If they choose to use their modem when we have a comparable model
.5> avaiable, I don't think we have that kind of obligation. 
    
    Well, not always...
    
    My manager was going to buy me a VT220 and modem to use at home.
    I already have a Rainbow of my own, and certainly had no need for
    two terminals, so I offered a deal instead.  I used my own Rainbow.
    My manager put it under service contract.  In exchange, my cost
    center saved the cost of buying me the terminal and modem for home.
    My manager was happy, and so was I.
    
    							Pat

I own a VT125, LA50 and a PDT-11/150 at home. I use them for Digital work as
well as personal work. When I'm using them for DEC they still belong to me
and consume the power that gets charged to my electric bill. When they break
they come into the office and get fixed by field service at the expense of my
cost center. That's the agreement I've had with my management since I got the
gear over six years ago - seems pretty equitable to all parties involved.

-Jack

    re .-1
    
    So perhaps now we can take our MAC's into F/S for repair when they
    break????? I use my MAC at home predominantly for mail and NOTEs,
    and feel that the convenience is the main thing. I am concerned
    about (ultimately) having to repair the unit, so as  a result, tend
    to keep the number of hours used for work activities *really low*
    compared to hours used for personal things. If I could get my manager
    to agree to a similar arrangement, I wouldn't feel half so bad about
    using the MAC for more work related activities.
    
    I tried the terminal route, but gave it up when I got my MAC (no
    desk space!), and the only thing that would help is a mVAX, but
    we all know how hard those are to procure.... and besides, I'm able
    to do multiple things at once on the MAC (file transfer, accounting,
    etc) so a mVAX would just heat up my office all the more -- 
    
    Heck, I think I just convinced myself to talk to my manager!!!!!
     :-)
    
    -bwe

    	I currently have a Rainbow 100+ and a MicroVAX 2000 with LA210.
    The software is VAXINFO III, ALL-IN-1, VAXset, LISP. Most of the
    engineers in my area have nothing, so they have been loaned VT's
    or Rainbows, etc, to communicate. I ask for a LN03 to do all the
    printing I do, and was turned down - because I own DEC equipment
    I can't have any DEC OWNed equipment on my site. 
    
    	A little more - I'm a remote engineer and I work out of my house.
    I have purchased everything including software myself - I use the
    computer to develop software for DEC, train other engineers  on
    software products, and increase my understanding of VMS.
    
    	I can't even get my software updated from DEC. I've tried but
    I'm caught between the - You own equipment so we can't let you borrow
    or use DEC's equipment, and the - You work for Field Service and
    are not a customer so we can't talk to you (DECdirect). The best
    DEC could do for me was to offer my a Software Contract for $800.00
    per MONTH. 
    
    	I was told you can't have anything because if you get it somebody
    else will want it, and we can't give it to everybody.
    
    	If somebody finds a policy that covers Employees using their
    own equipment for company business please let me know. The only
    word I've received is don't use your equipment - we don't want to
    give you anything, but keep up the good work.
    
    				Miguel Fernandez (ODIXIE1::)

    You have more problems with your local management that answers in
    this conference can possibly resolve.  Nearly everything that you've
    claimed to be "policy" isn't, nor is is likely that quoting "policy"
    to your local management will change your particular situation.

    Miguel
    
    
    It sounds like you pissed somebody off back at the home office.
    Tell them that on Friday at 5pm your equipment no longer will provide
    services to Digital or it's customers. Ask you boss what equipment
    he will have at your home on Monday morning to enable you to get
    your work done. Then tell him to have a nice weekend.
    
    charlie

    re .11:
    
    That sounds a bit too much like an ultimatum. I suggest giving the home
    office notice that as of 1 Jan 1989, your personal equipment will no
    longer be available for DEC use because of the personal unreimbursed
    expenses of operating it. That will give them some leeway to order some
    equipment. It will also give you some time to look in the Jobs Bulletin
    to see what else might be available if the response is, "Well, your
    productivity is part of your career."
    
    My cost center has loaned me the VT100 and the modem I'm using now, and
    pays the $11.??/month for the second home-phone line. That's not
    policy, but it is a recognized contribution to Digital's productivity.