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My SO has had strokes and can be safely at home alone for 3-4 hours at a time. When I do go out on errands or to a work assignment for my contract job I can be reached and I can also call and check in to see how things are going. We have Life Alert and if something happens, such as a fall, I can be reached anywhere.
And no, I did not exaggerate anything about the policy. Why would I do that?
Had he offered the option that I could be contacted at the store by Life Alert or my SO in case of emergency I would be working a nice little part-time job close to home. I liked the people, the owner, the setting and the work. I suspect he's had issues with current or past workers and so created this strict policy.
I have never used my cell phone on a job while on company time, but I am well aware of the abuses of it.
Frankly I am sick and tired of how cell phones are used inappropriately by co-workers and how people can't even be sociable anymore because they have a phone glued to their ear or their eyes mesmerized by a handheld screen.
In other ways they are an advantage and I never leave home without mine. But yes, there is a proper time and place for their use. I never disputed that.
My advice is if you consider a job offer these days be sure to review their cell phone use policy. It might impact on your decision to accept an offer or not.
Really? You're going through keep a tally of phone calls? How about just addressing it on a case by case basis. If someone is abusing the privilege, talk to them. I guarantee it would be the exception rather than the rule. Better yet, treat people like adults land let them use their phones on break/lunch, AND let them get emergency phone calls on the company landline when they're in the clock. It's worked in most workplaces for years. We don't need more useless rules.
First, I said nothing about not allowing cell phones, or calls, during lunches or on breaks. That was the OP's boss. Second, I said in my post that employees should be able to get emergency phone calls through the company's landline. Again, it was the OP's boss that said no to that, not me. (Perhaps you're trying to work and text at the same time? ) Third, there are types of work and businesses where people cannot text or take calls while they're working. Those businesses need a policy.
A probationary period where your supervisor keeps a tally of absences and coming in late is common; there's no reason they can't keep a tally of how often they have to take an "emergency message" to you. If there's no tally and no policy, but just a subjective impression of how often it's happening, it can seem, and actually be, unfair.
Letting people get emergency phones calls on the company landline worked for years because people got into trouble for getting too many phone calls at work. Remember the Seinfeld episode where George tried to get a waitress in trouble by constantly calling her at the diner where she worked?
To clarify, I learned of the policy while later browsing an employee handbook at home after talking to the owner that afternoon. I called the owner next morning to clarify the policy and ask questions to make sure I was not misunderstanding the restrictions.
I wasn't. They were exactly as I stated in my OP and no exceptions were allowed.
This was a very small business with only about 7 people working in this market, one of them being the owner.
So, no, I did not actually accept the position or start the job after this conversation with the owner.
In my 46 years of working I have never worked in an environment where family cannot reach me during work hours for an emergency situation. There have been many over the years and to think that I could not go to the ER or go home to assist a loved one who has fallen, for example, is just ridiculous.
Family comes first, period.
Ok, thanks for the update. See, this is where I really think the company is wrong: they really should have made this fact known BEFORE hiring, not after. Cell phone restrictions are common these days in the workplace, but an outright phone restrictions extending to landline store and emergency calls is going too far.
They really should had made that fact known beforehand. Personally, I don't really mind the "no cell phone" part, but the restrictions on land line use, especially incoming calls in the event of an emergency would make me uncomfortable, as several have said here. Also, such a restriction (with apparently no exception, as you say) says something about the company: they do not care about their own employees---yes, emergencies are rare, but so are house fires, yet we have smoke detectors.
Nah I wouldn't be upset if I wasn't notified "immediately" or instantly. My point to your extreme example is there are many EXTREME examples which yours is. There are way too many negatives. Lost production. Privacy in the workplace. Insurance liability Injuries. Haven't some of these devices caused fires? Should I let you have electricity to charge it? The policy is the policy. I wouldn't quit this position because of it. If it was as important to OP as it appears, then OP should have asked beforehand. Think it through. Your argument is very weak Austin123
If you're going to attempt and "argue" my opinion and well sourced arguments are "very weak", then you had might as well have my screen name put out correctly at the very least. Clearly, we agree to disagree....but, I think you ought to read the entire post I put up. I think I make my points quite concise and clear.
You must be younger because a lot of us worked WITH NO CELL PHONES for many many years. We didn't have the internet and we did juuuuuuust fine without it.
I have had a cell phone since the mid-to-late 1990s and I think I've made exactly one call that I would deem an emergency.
But we could make or get a call on the employer's line if it was necessary.
I think it all boils down to whether the job requires full attention, or if it allows for flexibility. This family market has 7 folks, and the employer believes when they are on the clock he needs their full attention. This is not the place for someone who already has a 24/7 job as a caregiver.
I have worked in many a retail/customer focused job that requires when you are on the clock you are on the floor. Trips to the bathroom are meant for your breaks. The occasional bathroom break in the middle of a shift might be allowed, but in general, if you can't make it 2 to 3 hours without a bathroom break you were deemed unsuitable for that position.
I'm sure there are other positions, even in retail, where the employers feel they can be much more flexible on their cell phone policies.
But we could make or get a call on the employer's line if it was necessary.
This is exactly it. If you're a caregiver and have access to a landline, why would you need a cellphone at all? You have 911 access right there and, God forbid, if the landline somehow went down you'd have your cellphone in the car that you could access. While I agree that not allowing someone to use their cellphone on their lunch-breaks is unreasonable (and could never been enforced), I would hope that if this person was caring for me or a close relative/friend of mine they were not checking their Facebook feed every 30 seconds of the day.
I once hired a nanny to watch our infant son. I worked from home so I could check in on her frequently and I'd be willing to bet that 9 out of the 10 times I walked into the room she had her head down in her phone. Needless to say we didn't retain her "services" for very long and she did not get a good reference from me, which cost her other jobs.
The emotion of this thread is laughable. How tethered people are to their phones nowadays is really sickening. "I wouldn't work there if I couldn't use my cellphone!!!" Really? Is it *that* important to you?
This is exactly it. If you're a caregiver and have access to a landline, why would you need a cellphone at all? You have 911 access right there and, God forbid, if the landline somehow went down you'd have your cellphone in the car that you could access. While I agree that not allowing someone to use their cellphone on their lunch-breaks is unreasonable (and could never been enforced), I would hope that if this person was caring for me or a close relative/friend of mine they were not checking their Facebook feed every 30 seconds of the day.
I once hired a nanny to watch our infant son. I worked from home so I could check in on her frequently and I'd be willing to bet that 9 out of the 10 times I walked into the room she had her head down in her phone. Needless to say we didn't retain her "services" for very long and she did not get a good reference from me, which cost her other jobs.
The emotion of this thread is laughable. How tethered people are to their phones nowadays is really sickening. "I wouldn't work there if I couldn't use my cellphone!!!" Really? Is it *that* important to you?
Priorities.
^^^ This ^^^
Some people are just so dependent on their cell phones. You can't even enjoy a lunch or dinner out with some people without their cell phone front and center on the table and them looking at it every few minutes. My goodness, how did we ever survive in the "old days"?
This is exactly it. If you're a caregiver and have access to a landline, why would you need a cellphone at all? You have 911 access right there and, God forbid, if the landline somehow went down you'd have your cellphone in the car that you could access. While I agree that not allowing someone to use their cellphone on their lunch-breaks is unreasonable (and could never been enforced), I would hope that if this person was caring for me or a close relative/friend of mine they were not checking their Facebook feed every 30 seconds of the day.
I once hired a nanny to watch our infant son. I worked from home so I could check in on her frequently and I'd be willing to bet that 9 out of the 10 times I walked into the room she had her head down in her phone. Needless to say we didn't retain her "services" for very long and she did not get a good reference from me, which cost her other jobs.
The emotion of this thread is laughable. How tethered people are to their phones nowadays is really sickening. "I wouldn't work there if I couldn't use my cellphone!!!" Really? Is it *that* important to you?
Priorities.
Yes, it is THAT important, and it'd be an absolute dealbreaker if I couldn't use my cell phone at work. Now, that's not because I'd use it to fool around, but just to quickly check it and see if I get any important calls/text messages or what not.
The fact that I couldn't use it during my break or lunch (which should be considered MY time) would pretty much be the straw that broke the camel's back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chiluvr1228
^^^ This ^^^
Some people are just so dependent on their cell phones. You can't even enjoy a lunch or dinner out with some people without their cell phone front and center on the table and them looking at it every few minutes. My goodness, how did we ever survive in the "old days"?
Lol at this logic again...
And a long time ago, we didn't have plenty of other technological things. Should we go back to those days?
Technology has progressed, and cell phones are a huge part of a lot of people's lifestyle now. Get over it...
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) Third, there are types of work and businesses where people cannot text or take calls while they're working. Those businesses need a policy. 
