Employer Requires Employees to Turn In Cell Phones at Start of a Shift
My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: West Virginia
Exactly one week ago the mental health company I work for installed a new cell phone policy. The policy states that we must turn our phones in to the supervisor at the beginning of our shift and we will get it back at the end of the shift. Since every employee has a key to the lock box most of us decided that we will no longer bring our phones to work or just leave them in our vehicles which are not parked on company property.
Now the company is trying to say that they can not except are phones being in our vehicles or at home. If we do not hand it over then we are required to go to our vehicles and get them or clock out and go home and get them. If you refuse you are automatically terminated.
Lastly, because we do not feel comfortable with this new addition to the policy several of us have said we are going to talk to a lawyer simply to have the policy looked over and to see if there's anything wrong with it. Our supervisor heard wind of it and said that if we talk to a lawyer we will be terminated.
Further saying that the company has more money than us and will make sure we don't win if we tried to sue.
Is there any of this that is violating any of the laws?
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
What are they suggesting for people who don't have a cell-phone?
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
I want to see a copy of the policy that says they're required to bring your cell phone to work so that it can turn it in, rather than simply leaving it at home. While such a policy would be legal, because there is no law that says it is not legal, that's simply too absurd to believe. And after a review of this OP's posting history, I'm calling troll now rather than waiting 7 pages to do it.
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
Quote:
Quoting
Dogmatique
What are they suggesting for people who don't have a cell-phone?
If you don't have a cell phone the policy doesn't concern you. Many of us considered disconnecting out phones however it's not feasible to do so for everyone.
- - - Updated - - -
We've asked for the additional clause to be handed to us in writing. HR will not release it. They said if our supervisor said it then we don't need to see it.
As for the trolling comment, I googled law advice and this popped up. I also have the question on several others.
So believe what you want but I'm not trolling. I don't have time for that bulls$#t.
Sorry for trying to get advice on something for goodness sakes
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
Okay, I'll play for one more post.
In the unlikely event that this is a real policy of a real employer, there is nothing in anything the employer is doing that violates any law. Since no law has ever been written that says an employer cannot require all employees who have cell phones to bring those phones to work and turn them in during their shift, they can.
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear. I'd much rather not fight something that is legal. Despite the inconvenience.
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
Personally, I would just say I don't have a cell phone.
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
I do have to apologize to this OP, however. It was another OP's hx I searched and I confused the two.
I still think this OP is either trolling, or badly mistaken about what the policy requires. I do not have any trouble believing that an employer has a policy that all cell phones must be turned in during their shift. I can accept that the employer might not want them left in the cars and send the employee back out to get them. I simply do not believe that any employer would go so far as to send an employee home to get their phone so that they can turn it in.
But I did mis-read the history and I apologize for that.
Re: Personal Property Policy and Supervisor Bullying
Quote:
Quoting
cbg
While such a policy would be legal, because there is no law that says it is not legal, that's simply too absurd to believe.
OP did say he works for a mental health company, maybe not the kind of mental health company we usually think of...