Employeer wants to take our cell phones away

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Originally Posted by kc261

One thing they can't do is treat employees differently. So they can't say that "Jimmy" (making up a name for the fork lift operator) can't have a cell phone while he is at work, but everyone else can.

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Yes, but that problem is easily resolved for the employer by having policies based on job descriptions, making the point moot - it's entirely legal to create policies that result in taking phones away from customer service representatives, but not say, the warehouse staff, and since it's immediately effective as company policy, employees can either conform or be released.

That said, my view is extremely jaded by the fact that Texas (where I live and work) is an at-will state, meaning employers have a lot more latitude (legally speaking) in which to operate, and there is no mandate for them to provide explanation for firing you beyond the fact they no longer want you working there. YMMV of course depending on state and local ordinances.

I don't think it's that big a deal really. When I ran a restaurant I pretty regularly confiscated cell phones from girls who couldn't seem to do their job whenever they had one on them. We didn't take them away as soon as they walked into the door, but if we had to tell them more than once to put it away then we took it away.

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Originally Posted by AaronP

When I ran a restaurant I pretty regularly confiscated cell phones from girls who couldn't seem to do their job whenever they had one on them.

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I must be getting old... I can't even imagine having a job like that and thinking that being on the phone would be acceptable in the least. You're there to provide a service, and if you're talking or texting, you're obviously not doing what you're being paid for.

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Originally Posted by ctrlfreq

i must be getting old... I can't even imagine having a job like that and thinking that being on the phone would be acceptable in the least. You're there to provide a service, and if you're talking or texting, you're obviously not doing what you're being paid for.

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x2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by ctrlfreq

I must be getting old... I can't even imagine having a job like that and thinking that being on the phone would be acceptable in the least. You're there to provide a service, and if you're talking or texting, you're obviously not doing what you're being paid for.

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I agree, that's why I took their phones away and put it in the safe till their shift was over.

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Originally Posted by Ranegyr

... Instead of treating us like adults and telling us to act like them. they decide to take our phones away. .....

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I'm sorry I'm not more sympathetic to your cause. While I can understand the frustration at an unexpected inconvenience...it seems equally childish to me to whine about it not being fair. So...if you want to be treated like an adult, then act like an adult and deal wit the situation without whining and without expecting everything in life to be "fair."

It sounds like you have an AWEsome job that many people here would give their left arm to have. You get plenty of "goof off" time on your boss's dime?!? And yet you stay productive and fulfilled, apparently. (Getting all your work done) And you "have fun" doing it....AND you get paid well! Geez, dude...count your blessings and stop worrying about the little faults your boss may have. No job is perfect...no boss is perfect.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to sit down with your boss and make a few suggestions about how to handle the cell phone issues and see if he his willing to take you up on any of them. But don't expect him to. And if he doesn't...then just deal with it. It's really not that big of a deal, especially when balanced out against everything else you've said about your job.

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Originally Posted by ctrlfreq

I must be getting old... I can't even imagine having a job like that and thinking that being on the phone would be acceptable in the least. You're there to provide a service, and if you're talking or texting, you're obviously not doing what you're being paid for.

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The timing of this thread is great. I just had to reprimand one of my staff a couple of days ago for using her cell to send text messages all day long. I not only told her it was unacceptable, but I also increased her workload since, as I explained to her, she has free time. I haven't seen her using her phone since then (except for break time), but if I do, I have a 3-Strikes rule. She'd have two more & then she's out the door.

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Originally Posted by JLC

I'm sorry I'm not more sympathetic to your cause. While I can understand the frustration at an unexpected inconvenience...it seems equally childish to me to whine about it not being fair. So...if you want to be treated like an adult, then act like an adult and deal wit the situation without whining and without expecting everything in life to be "fair."

It sounds like you have an AWEsome job that many people here would give their left arm to have. You get plenty of "goof off" time on your boss's dime?!? And yet you stay productive and fulfilled, apparently. (Getting all your work done) And you "have fun" doing it....AND you get paid well! Geez, dude...count your blessings and stop worrying about the little faults your boss may have. No job is perfect...no boss is perfect.

It wouldn't be unreasonable to sit down with your boss and make a few suggestions about how to handle the cell phone issues and see if he his willing to take you up on any of them. But don't expect him to. And if he doesn't...then just deal with it. It's really not that big of a deal, especially when balanced out against everything else you've said about your job.

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I consider myself lucky to have the job that i have. Believe me I have been thinking about this all day. Deep down i don't think i can come to terms with a no phones policy. i disagree, but i wouldn't lose my job over it. i'd probably end up sneaking my phone in anyway. my problem is that we are all forced to make a consession because one person did something stupid. i dont think it should matter how old you are, that's never fair. we cant take shampoo on an airplane, that is stupid. fire the person who cant conduct himself properly. leave the rest of us who don't abuse policies, alone. arrest the person who is sneaking anthrax on a plane, but leave my Herbal Essence alone.

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Originally Posted by Ranegyr

my problem is that we are all forced to make a consession because one person did something stupid.

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It's a consession that shouldn't be happening anyway. At my old job I was sometimes busy for 60 hours a week, and some days I'd have nothing to do and would stream a movie or something. It was a great perk that as long as I was getting my work done first and foremost, I could do what I wanted when I didn't have anything to do. But if my boss ever said things were going to change and I couldn't use my phone or watch movies I wouldn't think twice about it. I was at work, getting paid to work. When you're at work, getting paid for your time and work from someone's pocket, they own that time and your actions during that time. If you're one of the more mature employees there, I understand Pop's frustration.

I agree with removing the phones from your person. You could leave them in your vehicle, or in a locker, or they can put them into a drawer. You are getting paid to work, not to talk on a personal phone.
Yeah, you'd rather be able to chat on the company time, but all your points were no good IMHO.
Your kid can call work, if someone with a gun shows up - use the company phone, unamerican? wanting to play while you get paid is unamerican.

I dealt with the cell phone stuff here at work, and finally told the boss to remove cell phones unless people were on break. Even then, they would sneak the phone into the back. Removing them altogether was the only option.
If everyone at the business was responsible about the cell phones, then the bosses wouldn't have to remove them. Why not be mad at the co-workers?