[BelaySlave]

Of course I type this up as I'm surfing MTBR in my office .

Just curious as to what the personal phone call policy is at your place of employment.

The reason I bring this up is because we have had issues with this "problem" over the past year or so with our secretary. A couple of personal phone calls here and there is acceptable, but she receives and makes ALOT of them. Like 20+ a day. She mainly talks to her husband, parents, and 3 kids. She talks to them both on the phone in the office and her own cell phone. This really became a big issue one day when a high priority project needed to get done here, but she spent alot of time on the phone.

I usually contact people via email or text messaging since it's more discreet and not as obtrusive. If I need to make a phone call, I usually try to do it around lunch or during some dead time (like early morning/late afternoon).

 

[JimC.]

here's the poop

from a US Ethics Gov perspective, with a few ethics thrown in...

In short, it can be construed as theft

Telephones:

Personal calls may be made when they are necessary and provide a benefit to the Government. Examples:

Calls to family members when an employee works late.
Calls to child-care facilities or providers to make alternate arrangements.
Calls to medical or day-care providers.
Calls to make funeral arrangements.
Calls to businesses that are open only during work hours.
Calls to arrange home or car repairs.

Purely personal calls are permissible if they are short (5-10 minutes) and no cost to the Government (long distance and toll calls are prohibited).

Telephone use while on travel:

Employees may use Government telephones for official calls while on travel. When using non-government telephones, employees should use Federal calling cards or prepaid calling cards. When necessary, Personal cellular phones may be used for official calls.

Employees should use Federal calling cards and prepaid calling cards when making personal calls on travel. Government-owned cellular phones and hotel phone lines should not be used if possible. Employees must have prior authorization to use telephone equipment on airplanes. If authorized, employees should use Federal calling cards or prepaid calling cards.

 

[airwreck]

oh great, thanks Jim. I was going to plead ingnorance.
I'm a govt. employee and I never get or place any work related works on the cell phone I'm supplied with.... But at least all the personal calls are mtb related!

 

[JimC.]

sorry eheheheh

I'm harsh on 'phone abuse. Now surfing endlessly, that's a totally different matter that ....

um , nevermind

Jim

 

[cbuchanan]

Phone policy with my employer is pretty low key. Short calls that do not interfere regular work and pay any long distance charges when the bill arrives. Phone doesn't really get abused much by the employees. Management on the other hand...personal calls all day long.

 

[SoCalAl]

My office has no official policy I'm aware of, but IM is the choice of communication around here. As long as my work gets done, it's no big deal if I'm on the phone or internet.
As far as the secretary in question goes, I'd say something, but I'm reminded of that episode of Curb your Enthusiasm where Larry is afraid to fire his secretary because she knows all his personal info and secrets.

 

[SHIVER ME TIMBERS]

sounds like the girl is abusing the system and should be written up....you will need documentation of days and times...because the backlash sucks sometimes

 

[crashedandburned]

Government worker here also, but not really sure what our policy is. No one has ever said anything to me about it. People in my office do, but no one is abusing the system either. The subject hasn't been brought up in our weekly meetings either.

Cell phones are a BIG NO,NO in my office. Located inside a restricted area where radio emmissions can cause certain things to go BOOM!!!

 

[Dwight Moody]

University of Washington is my employer. Officially verbotin, actually fine (within limits). Outgoing long distance is supposed to be used for official purposes only and we have to enter an individual code to dial long distance. Unofficially you can call long distance and you won't be asked about it until you start racking up some serious charges. Of course, no one's telling what the ceiling is, but I've been on hold with the NY DMV for half an hour and haven't heard about it yet.

 

[Ricko]

They do whatever the f*** they want...

I work as an outside contractor in the document processing/outbound mail operations of a majior healthcare company. My customers management lets their union people walk all over them, they can gab on the company phones or their personal cell phones all they want and nobody says a word to them. They don't get much work done because they're union and they don't have to...so their company pays non-union contractors (like me) to keep their operation running!

And you wonder why health care costs are so out of this world .

 

[CulBaire]

Company policy states that no personal calls should be made during work time, in fact we are not to have our mobile phones on whilest at work except for during breaks, and lunch... Pretty BS if you ask me.

Department policy is totally different- mobile phones must be on at all times particularly with myself, and the leading hand as the foreman often makes calls to us regarding special projects, work status, work requirements, sizes and even what we want from the shop for lunch etc... In fact I cop a ehap of crap if I dont answer my phone after 2 rings

Personal calls are ok, aslong as they are kept short, and not taken any where in the factory lunch room or outside is ok- this is simply due to noise and safety issues.

 

[Call_me_Clyde]

Our policy

"The Company understands that it may be necessary to make and receive personal phone calls at the office. Employees should be aware of the time spent on personal business. Excessive phone calls received or placed (whether by The Company's phones or the employee's personal portable phone); the use of Company paid postage; and the use of Comapny fax machines for personal correspondence may be cause for disciplinary action, up to and including termination."

The issue does not appear to be one of the cost of the call itself, but the cost of down time as a result of conducting personal business on company time. The biggest abuses we see in this regard are people walking outside the building to make personal cell phone calls and smoke cigatrettes.

Bob

 

[ryoninct]

I have VOIP phones so there is no toll charges. No worries about calls though. I get my stuff done, nuff said.

 

[Fett]

I am pretty lucky to work for a company that does not try to be at all parental. Bottom line, if the work gets done, I can come and go as I like, surf, call. Of course, I am straight commission, so if I don't get my stuff done, they don't pay me, but it is fair.

They do not have much tolerance for people who do not get stuff done, though, so you had better be productive.

 

[keen]

Another government worker here. Plenty of policies no real enforcement. Unless there are written policies that are agreed upon by employees they will do ask they want. Write up some concrete policies that are agreed upon in writing then enforce.

 

[ZoSoSwiM]

I'm an assistant coach for my college swim team at Suny Potsdam NY. I have a pin number I can use to call recruits and use for official business. It's a pain though, this pin allows me to make calls from any phone on campus.. BUT, If i make them from anywhere other than the althletic facility the school will flip **** and scream. This also applies if the person I'm calling is the same I've called from the pool or something many times. Now it's just easier to use my cell phone. They claim they'll pay me back for calls but it's too much of a pain to document it all. I hate the state sometimes, I swear NY just likes paperwork for everything.

 

[namaSSte]

I work on a trading floor so its a bit of a free for all anyway. As long as I am profitable, I can do as I like as long as it does not interfere with my responsibilities here. Its really simple, we are adults and we know what we need to do to do our jobs well (note the use of that adverb). We need to act like adults it relates to things like personal calls, etc. If my trading assistant begins to abuse that "freedom", I reign her in quickly and do not pull puches on the issue. Since she can directly impact me in situations where you need to make very fast decisions, I am very clear...do what you will but be prepared to drop personal business on a moments notice if needed. If she can't do that, its three strikes and out.