Program Details:
To be eligible to participate in the Computer Loan Program, an employee must satisfy all of the following:
· must be a full-time or part-time (scheduled for at least 20 hours per week) current employee of the City of Ashland;
· must have been employed by the City of Ashland for at least one year; and
· must have paid back any previous computer loans a minimum of one year prior to new loan.
An eligible employee interested in the program should follow these steps:
· Pick up a Computer Purchase Program Packet from Personnel or print one from the g: drive under PERSONNEL INFORMATION or go to Personnel in HR and see Marisa.
· Determine which computer system you want and which vendor you wish to buy the system from. Fill out your name, department, vendor/supplier information, description and cost of the desired computer configuration on the Request Form.
· Prior to purchasing the system, submit the request form to Personnel for approval. (Approval indicates hardware/software compliance and .employee eligibility.)
Requests received by Personnel will be processed as follows:
1. Eligibility will be checked.
2. Hardware/software compliance will be checked.
3. If all is in order, employee will be notified to complete and sign a Promissory Agreement. The loan amount will be set up to be repaid through payroll deductions.
4. A check will be issued, payable to the vendor and employee, for the approved amount or a reimbursement check will be issued to the employee after receipts of purchase have been submitted.
5. If employee receives a check for an advance, it will be necessary to turn in the packing slip once the computer is received to verify it meets the City’s qualifications.
Vendors:
Equipment warranties and follow-up support can vary greatly from vendor to vendor and should be considered carefully when selecting a vendor. Remember that questions and problems that might occur with hardware/software will need to be handled between the employee and the vendor.
Dollar Limit:
The amount an employee will be authorized to borrow is the amount of the employee’s proposed computer system up to a maximum of $2,500. No interest will be charged for the normal 52 pay period loan (26 pay periods for Fire Department employees) unless there is a default. The amount an employee is authorized to borrow for an iPad/Tablet device is a minimum of $500.
Loan Terms:
The employee will be required to sign a Promissory Agreement (payroll deduction agreement and promissory note) for repayment of the loan amount. The longest loan period will be 52 pay periods (two years). The minimum deduction per pay period will be the total loan amount divided by 52. The minimum payroll deduction per a pay period is $25. The employee may make additional payments at any time to reduce the number of pay periods for payoff or to pay off the loan ahead of schedule.
The employee may also choose to have a payroll deduction higher than the required minimum; this desired amount is recorded on the payroll deduction from that is submitted to Payroll.
Example: An employee purchases a computer system for $2,000. The minimum per payroll deduction would be $38.47.
Hardware and Software:
The computer system must meet minimum standards as set by the City of Ashland. These standards will change as technology within the organization changes. The minimum hardware and software standards are set forth below.
Optional hardware may be included in the computer purchase. Optional hardware is defined as the following: printer, fax, scanner, modem, router, computer speakers, external hard drive, tape drive, cd/dvd drive, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS). Please note: Digital cameras, GPS units, mp3 players and other stand-alone electronic devices are not approved for purchase under this program. Additionally, software designed exclusively for entertainment purposes i.e. games are not approved for purchase under this program. If you have any concerns about the applicability of your purchase, please contact Human Resources prior to completing your purchase.
Hardware
· Desktop or laptop computer with a one year warranty
· PC or MAC based
· iPad/Tablet Device
Software
Microsoft, Macintosh, or "open source" operating system, a word processor, and spreadsheet program
Disclaimer:
The City of Ashland accepts no responsibility for support of or for the operation, repairs, maintenance, or other costs related to the home personal computer and software purchased under this program.
*When an iPad/tablet device is purchased through this program, NO syncing to City Network or IT support will be allowed. All IT policies apply to any use for this device at work.
Program Limits:
The City Administrator, with input from the Information Technology Director, shall review and approve any change to the program.
