Private messages at work can be read by employers, says court

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting

originally posted by: IslandOfMisfitToys
a reply to: ladyinwaiting

Well if your employees are finishing their tasks in half the time YOU hired them for maybe it's more a reflection on YOUR management skills?

How charming.
And sophomoric. @@

Oh and you are the mature one?

"Really? Then maybe I should cut your hours back to part time" is soooooo much more mature.

a reply to: IslandOfMisfitToys

Oh dear, I am indeed talking to a child.

Tell me, why should I pay someone a full time salary when they complete the tasks in half the time? I would not call that a salary, I would call it a donation. I have other charities I give to without making my employees such.

I typically assign them more tasks, or go to part time, or give then notice. People who are constructive, respectful, and want to work, do so. Maybe if you are ever in my position you will understand.

I don't believe I have a whole lot more to discuss with you. Have fun at "work". lol.

Oh and you are the mature one?

Absolutely. Yes.

a reply to: sg1642
If it is on company time, on company hardware, then anything done on such is within the preview of company policy.

Most places, that I have worked at, when there was a computer and internet involved, there was rules that went along with such. And anything done on said computer could be monitored by the IT and upper management, and any questionable items could be asked and or possibly lead to termination.

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
a reply to: IslandOfMisfitToys

Oh dear, I am indeed talking to a child.

Oh and you are the mature one?

Absolutely. Yes.

Care to rethink that? The minute you stooped to name calling is when you entered immaturity.

a reply to: sdcigarpig

Most places, that I have worked at, when there was a computer and internet involved, there was rules that went along with such. And anything done on said computer could be monitored by the IT and upper management, and any questionable items could be asked and or possibly lead to termination.

You are correct. Most places that require the employee to use computers, have a notification at the time of log-on, stating exactly what will be monitored, and an alert for areas the company software deems questionable.

Since I work in an area where I am expected to use commonsense and discretion, regarding whether to continue onto a site that seems questionable, it is just an alert, it doesn't prevent me from accessing the site. Though I am sure it raises some red flags on the monitoring logs.

I also work in an area that requires me to interact cordially, and in personable manner with others members of my team, my co-workers, my patients, their families, and my community. There may indeed be times that I have to send email, send texts, and may even have to use websites like Facebook, as a communication source.

Unless the entities I work for have the ability to tap into my brain, and are able to decipher my thoughts and ideas, they have no way of knowing if every moment I am on the clock, if I am focused solely on what they feel, they are paying me for.

In fact if I am at work, on the clock, and engaged, with a team member, customer, or potential customer, then I am being productive for the company. Since my activities and character off the clock, and on my personal time, is also generating a benefit for the companies I work for, and I am not being reimbursed for my incidental PR activities, I feel no guilt what-so-ever, if I feel the need to take some personal time during my work day, when I am on the clock.

To be fair and honest, I have never had a problem with any of my employers regarding this issue. They have all been smart enough to know that I don't work for companies I don't respect, or companies that don't trust or respect me.

In an effort to avoid further childish back and forth bantering, let this serve as your notice that you address the posts, not the posters.

Thank you and carry on.

Being given a lunch break is not mandated by federal law. Being forced to work through what is considered time allocated to you by a company for a lunch requires that you be paid.

I agree with the fact that use a company's system is under their control. Work ethic does suffer much in the country at the current time.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye
I wonder how many people commenting on this thread are at work, right now.

Right now? I find that part interesting. As an employer, I find that I don't actually have time off of work. I am either at work, in transit for work, or sleeping. Any time I have when I am not physically partaking in the previous, I am on call. 24/7/365.

It has been my experience that, as an owner, there is no separation between personal life and work life. They tend to become one entity, generally due to necessity. Which is an issue that the vast majority of employees don't have to deal with. So, you will have to excuse me for not being completely sympathetic to their plight about 'personal time'. That is a luxury that I can never seem to afford.

a reply to: roadgravel

Work ethic suffers, because we are coerced into entering a contractual agreement that is an uneven trade for our services.

You get what you pay for.

a reply to: peck420

You chose to live that way. You weren't coerced into either doing it or dying.

originally posted by: Sublimecraft
a reply to: sg1642

As an employer, let me break it down for you.

I do not pay individuals to engage in personal chat sessions on my dime, and especially on my hardware.

So, even if you are using your personal device, unless it's on your time (lunch breaks etc) then I should have a right to reprimand you, which may include anything from a verbal warning to a sobpoena to release data from your personal device - if that data was transmitted during working hours.

Now, and also, if you engage in rhetoric outside of working hours on social media which has a detrimental effect on my business, then the same rights should apply.

In other words, personal accountability starts with the individual, and his/her ego.

No in other words all you demand is your employees be slaves that serve you nonstop on and off the clock

If you tried to read my PM on my personal device because I work for you you would go to the ER jack.

It is called respect, try to use some for your slaves...I meant employees.

They work for you, you dont own them or their time period.

originally posted by: Puppylove
You chose to live that way. You weren't coerced into either doing it or dying.

And neither was a single one of my employees.

originally posted by: Puppylove
a reply to: roadgravel

Work ethic suffers, because we are coerced into entering a contractual agreement that is an uneven trade for our services.

You get what you pay for.

Get rid of the slackers and pay better those who do the real work (including the work of the slackers). Break even.

a reply to: peck420

Unless you pay well, then you are reaping the benefits of a people kept in poverty where mere survival requires accepting any pay offered.

originally posted by: NewzNose
a reply to: sg1642

Orwell? Not at all.

Had an employee once who worked for 2 years. We installed new malware virus software for security and ran a test reporrt We found she has spend 80% of her worktime for 15 months shopping, emailing, taking online college courses, sending out resumes etc....all during company time and all while being paid. When confronted by her theft of work time, she said "So?" Without any remorse. And was fired promptly fired. She immediately tried to file unemployment but lost.

I am ok with my staff doing personal stuff at work during breaks and lunch, so much so, each one has a separate laptop running Linnux for the sole purpose of personal use.

This is excellent news!

In 15 months you never noticed her work wasnt getting done?

Either your a pathetic boss, or she is capable of getting her work done in a satisfactory manner and doing thesde other things at the same time.

You are paying your employee to do X , if they do X, what do you care if they do somthing else?

Way back in the day during the dinosaur era, we called this "riding the clock". Essentially it is stealing if you are being paid to work and are not working. People howl to the moon and back when their lunch break or smoke break is impinged on. Calls go out to the labor board with lightening fast agility, yet it's deemed perfectly ok for the same employees to spend half their day online doing non work related things.

The irony is thick.

There was a time folks were mortified to receive a personal call that wasn't an emergency at work. Now they are mortified if they can't have their phones glued to their hands for at least 6 hours of an 8 hour shift. This is why people don't think most of you are worth $15 an hour.

You are paying your employee to do X , if they do X, what do you care if they do somthing else?

That may depend on if the pay is to do the task, or pay for a given number of hours in which the task is to be done.

Nothing like high rate trade workers screwing around and billing the customer extra time for the job.

originally posted by: Puppylove
Unless you pay well, then you are reaping the benefits of a people kept in poverty where mere survival requires accepting any pay offered.

Why?

If you are unhappy with all of the current offerings, pave your own way. Create your own business, or move to a location with better offerings.

As long as you are standing around waiting for others, don't expect more than their scraps and offal.

Whenever "my" work is finished before quitting time, I usually go and find someone else to help. I find it's a good way to learn something new.

originally posted by: roadgravel

You are paying your employee to do X , if they do X, what do you care if they do somthing else?

That may depend on if the pay is to do the task, or pay for a given number of hours in which the task is to be done.

Nothing like high rate trade workers screwing around and billing the customer extra time for the job.

But if I am to make 600 of X in 8 hours, and I am so good I can make 800 of X in 4 hours, what should they care?

They can pay me 2 times as much as everybody making 600 of X in 8 hours, and I will make 1200 of X in 8 hours, but I am not making 1200 of X in 8 hours just because I can and not getting paid for it.

Which is what some here seem to think they are entitled to.

I am a very good and hard worker, I usually can handle around 2 times the work load in the same time frame as my coworkers.

But I will be damned if I do 2 times more work for the same money.