Should your company have the right to check on you, at home?

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Echos13
    Member
    • Sep 2005
    • 656

    Should your company have the right to check on you, at home?

    We have a field supervisor that is a bit overzealous. I recently had an emergency during a storm that resulted in a large 110 oak fall on my house resulting in some damage, loss of power and phone service. I called in advising I would be unavailable for a few days. Shortly after that my SV showed up and asked why I was not coming in.

    Excuse me, tree on my house!?

    It kind of did not set well with me on that. I think he acted on his own but and I contacted my area mgr about it and advised him that I thought that was a a little ridiculous. This SV has a history of "spying" on employees but mostly on job sites. Though I have noting to worry about I think unless you are a problem employee SV's or the company should not be snooping on people trying to catch them at something.

    But I think it brings up a good question. Are you subject to being checked on by your company when not working whether your off duty, sick or have an legitimate emergency? Working a high end posiiton perhaps with a security clearance or related might justify it. But as a common guard I think the company needs to mind their own business.

    Thoughts?
    My views, opinions and statements are my own. They are not of my company, affiliates or coworkers.

    -Being bagger at Publix has more respect these days

    -It's just a job kid deal with it

    -The industry needs to do one of two things; stop fiddling with the thin line and go forward or go back to that way it was. A flashlight in one hand and your set of keys in the other
  • TOII
    Member
    • Jun 2011
    • 497

    #2
    While at work the boss has every right, in fact, a duty to check up on you. They would be negligent if they did not. at home, they have a right to see if that oak fell on your house. So long as they are on public property or a place that they have a legal right to be. I would have done it differently. I probably went to check if you were ok and ask hey Can I see where that tree hit?

    Comment

    • Echos13
      Member
      • Sep 2005
      • 656

      #3
      Granted, good point about at work.

      But when they go ahead and start snooping around before asking, that's a little to much. In which this is what happened. I came around the back of the house to access what needed to be done for the next few days and there he was in my back yard. I don't know it kind of felt like he was more self indulgent or curious than doing a well being check.

      Now if he starts driving by the house now and then I'm thinking stalker.
      My views, opinions and statements are my own. They are not of my company, affiliates or coworkers.

      -Being bagger at Publix has more respect these days

      -It's just a job kid deal with it

      -The industry needs to do one of two things; stop fiddling with the thin line and go forward or go back to that way it was. A flashlight in one hand and your set of keys in the other

      Comment

      • Jim1348
        Member
        • Dec 2010
        • 777

        #4
        Should Your Company Have The Right To Check On You At Home?

        I come from a law enforcement background and I have heard of police departments that verify officers are sick when they call in sick. Ironically, many employers have gone the other way and merged sick time and vacation time into personal leave. Supposedly studies have been done that show there is less abuse of personal leave since it can be used for anything.
        Last edited by Jim1348; 05-03-2012, 05:27 PM. Reason: Details

        Comment

        • flashlightcop509
          Member
          • Jan 2006
          • 793

          #5
          Nope.

          Course, last time I was sick I was near to needing be transported to the hospital, but I digress... Simply because I cannot afford to be out from work for as little as a day; but then again, my nearest supervisor is at least an hour away and I can't see justifying a drive that far on the company dime just to see if I'm lying about it or not...

          That and my company knows as I'm a senior officer with 6 years, only time I will call in is if I'm just this side of dying...
          “Two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left”
          "I swear to God, I'm going to pistol whip the next guy that says 'Shenanigans' "... Capt. O'Hagan, "Super Troopers"

          Comment

          • TOII
            Member
            • Jun 2011
            • 497

            #6
            Originally posted by Echos13
            Granted, good point about at work.

            But when they go ahead and start snooping around before asking, that's a little to much. In which this is what happened. I came around the back of the house to access what needed to be done for the next few days and there he was in my back yard. I don't know it kind of felt like he was more self indulgent or curious than doing a well being check.

            Now if he starts driving by the house now and then I'm thinking stalker.

            sounds like he was trespassing to me.

            Comment

            • copelandamuffy
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2006
              • 4536

              #7
              Originally posted by Echos13
              We have a field supervisor that is a bit overzealous. I recently had an emergency during a storm that resulted in a large 110 oak fall on my house resulting in some damage, loss of power and phone service. I called in advising I would be unavailable for a few days. Shortly after that my SV showed up and asked why I was not coming in.

              Excuse me, tree on my house!?

              It kind of did not set well with me on that. I think he acted on his own but and I contacted my area mgr about it and advised him that I thought that was a a little ridiculous. This SV has a history of "spying" on employees but mostly on job sites. Though I have noting to worry about I think unless you are a problem employee SV's or the company should not be snooping on people trying to catch them at something.

              But I think it brings up a good question. Are you subject to being checked on by your company when not working whether your off duty, sick or have an legitimate emergency? Working a high end posiiton perhaps with a security clearance or related might justify it. But as a common guard I think the company needs to mind their own business.

              Thoughts?
              NO !!!!!!

              Don't even think about walking on my property. I have called out sick once in ten years
              You check just once for a trusted employee and you and I say bye bye

              On the job, your within your rights to check if I have on clean shorts, but
              at my home? Stay off my property!
              HS will probably give me a big hug for my views
              Last edited by copelandamuffy; 05-03-2012, 07:38 PM.
              http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/ Greatest Comedy team ever!

              Comment

              • Jim1348
                Member
                • Dec 2010
                • 777

                #8
                Should Your Company Have The Right To Check On You At Home?

                On a related note about off duty behavior, the police department that I formerly worked for enacted a Tobacco Use Policy for new officers hired after I was hired. The new officers agreed to have absolutely NO use of tobacco on duty or off duty. That included cigars, cigarettes, pipes, chewing tobacco, etc. Some people were pretty upset about this and felt the city had no business in regulating behavior like that when an officer was off duty.

                Comment

                • HotelSecurity
                  Senior Member
                  • Mar 2006
                  • 6009

                  #9
                  Were you hurt? Why did you need to stay home? In the late 90's Quebec was hit by a massive ice storm in the iddle of the winter. My house was without power for 2 weeks. It got down to 40C in the house. I went to work. What could I or you do at your house?
                  I enforce rules and regulations, not laws.
                  Security Officers. The 1st First Responders.

                  Comment

                  • copelandamuffy
                    Senior Member
                    • Sep 2006
                    • 4536

                    #10
                    Originally posted by HotelSecurity
                    What could I or you do at your house?
                    Find someway make our wives warmer. That exercise is suppose to generate heat
                    http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/ Greatest Comedy team ever!

                    Comment

                    • copelandamuffy
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2006
                      • 4536

                      #11
                      I may give a pass to a company checking on you if you have an insurance claim your hurt on the job, and your company obseves you playing Center for the Phoenix Coyotes Hockey team
                      http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/ Greatest Comedy team ever!

                      Comment

                      • FederalSecurity
                        Member
                        • Aug 2006
                        • 372

                        #12
                        Neither of my employers does anything like that. From my experience, the Federal government is lenient as long as

                        you have annual leave or sick leave, whichever is appropriate for your situation. After you call in, you're done.
                        "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
                        - Thomas Jefferson

                        “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
                        — Vince Lombardi

                        "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

                        IX. Strive to attain professional competence.

                        Comment

                        • Echos13
                          Member
                          • Sep 2005
                          • 656

                          #13
                          Originally posted by HotelSecurity
                          Were you hurt? Why did you need to stay home? In the late 90's Quebec was hit by a massive ice storm in the iddle of the winter. My house was without power for 2 weeks. It got down to 40C in the house. I went to work. What could I or you do at your house?
                          Concerning that I had to call my insurance person by going next door. No power, no phone and I my cell phone had met an unfortunate demise two days before and could not get a replacement for a week (metropos). The tree was putting pressure on my roof and could cause further damage so I stayed home those days to monitor it till it could get cut away (emergency tree service would not respond till the insurance people said go, red tape, blah). Once removed I had to tarp it because insurance clauses in Florida state that if you make no effort to cover roof damage and it rains you are default on your responsibility to prevent further damage. Power could not be restored till a part in a certain area was removed. When you leave it to people to go unchecked working on your property. Being absent in my experience things can get screwed up by them and if your not there to document it, it causes further headaches with the insurance people. Being present makes them do their job right, and if they mess up your right there to document it with pictures and witness statements.
                          My views, opinions and statements are my own. They are not of my company, affiliates or coworkers.

                          -Being bagger at Publix has more respect these days

                          -It's just a job kid deal with it

                          -The industry needs to do one of two things; stop fiddling with the thin line and go forward or go back to that way it was. A flashlight in one hand and your set of keys in the other

                          Comment

                          • copelandamuffy
                            Senior Member
                            • Sep 2006
                            • 4536

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Echos13
                            Concerning that I had to call my insurance person by going next door. No power, no phone and I my cell phone had met an unfortunate demise two days before and could not get a replacement for a week (metropos). The tree was putting pressure on my roof and could cause further damage so I stayed home those days to monitor it till it could get cut away (emergency tree service would not respond till the insurance people said go, red tape, blah). Once removed I had to tarp it because insurance clauses in Florida state that if you make no effort to cover roof damage and it rains you are default on your responsibility to prevent further damage. Power could not be restored till a part in a certain area was removed. When you leave it to people to go unchecked working on your property. Being absent in my experience things can get screwed up by them and if your not there to document it, it causes further headaches with the insurance people. Being present makes them do their job right, and if they mess up your right there to document it with pictures and witness statements.
                            Sorry HS, but I side with Echo 13. I feel his pain. Hurricane Gloria, Bob, and Tropical Storm Irene
                            I wanted to be home. If someone can cover for me if possible. Next to my family, my home is of most important
                            And if my company doesn't like tuff beans. I quit. I'll go somewhere else
                            http://www.laurel-and-hardy.com/ Greatest Comedy team ever!

                            Comment

                            • Squid
                              Banned
                              • May 2011
                              • 1635

                              #15
                              I'm a strict 'sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander' believer.

                              If your boss can 'check up' you then it must be OK for you to 'check up on him' as long as both are within the law.

                              If the boss feels he has interest in your off work personal life because his livelihood might be affected you certainly have right to check up on his personal life.

                              You and your employer have an equal business relationship (besides labor laws).

                              If he can fire you without notice or 'drop your hours' or 'lay you off' or whatever without severance pay then you may quit without notice and forfeit any of that severance pay you weren't going to get anyway.

                              Many employers will get all indignat and feel you 'owe them loyalty' or whatever, but they owe you nothing of the sort.

                              Comment

                              Leaderboard

                              Collapse
                              Working...