My boss told me I can't visit ATS

We should all be advising this fellow not to rock the boat. I would like to live in a world where anybody could read anything at anytime. Unfortunately, this involves somebody's JOB. In case you have not noticed, jobs are hard to come by in this economy. If this fellow rocks the boat, he runs the risk of losing his job and going several weeks or even several months without a paycheck.

Like it or not, ATS is not a "vanilla" website. It has opinions and content that many people, including many of those in the "mainstream," find objectionable. When at work, it is a good idea to avoid "objectionable" content. Not only might it upset your coworkers and supervisors, but it could also potentially offend customers. Maybe the boss was concerned customers would get the wrong idea about the store if they saw an employee looking at a controversial website.

I want to make it clear for everyone.

I am using my own internet service through a Sprint wireless Datacard.
I am using my own personal computer.
I am on the companies property.
I was on my unpaid lunch break.

If I get fired I will report his ass for not paying people overtime pay.
He makes people work on their paid days off or he threatens them with firing them.
He bribed the inspector when he found rats and many other illegal problems at this store like old milk and bad food being sold.

The only reason I never quit and reported him is because I make $15 an hour and if you ever worked at Win Dixie you know that is alot especially when there are no other jobs.

My main question was why he wold say ATS is a place of lies, so he must have visited here before.

[edit on 3/14/10 by Misoir]

reply to post by hotpinkurinalmint


The place where the employees take their lunch break is on the side of the building where no shoppers go. And it is a large area and I sat alone so no one has to see anything they don't want to.

reply to post by Misoir


I searched for a copy of Winn-Dixie's SOP (Standard Order of Procedures) manual but they don't make it readily available to the public.

The Winn-Dixie SOP Manual is available on the Winn-Dixie intranet at //info/

I suggest you download a copy and determine exactly what their procedure is in conjunction with the advice in the rest of this post.

What I did find available however was a copy of Winn-Dixie Code of Business Conduct & Ethics (PDF format). In the Adobe Reader tool bar, go to page 6 / 17.

First, depending on how long you've been employed, request a copy of your latest review results, if you don't already have one that is. Also make a copy of any awards or commendations that you may have received. If you don't have any of the aforementioned that's fine, but it is always good to have a record of your work history at the ready.

As far as the event in question:

Document your experience on paper as you recall it happening, include EVERY detail to the best of your memory. Include time, date, people present in the room, etc. I think what a lot of people are missing is that you were NOT on their network or on Company time, you were on their property however, but I don't feel that is grounds for what the manager did.

in this post by Misoir

I have my own internet through a spring datacard

As far as the other claims to this guys mismanagement, my opinion, slow down Turbo!...ONE thing at a time. When you call to report this, HR will see you as just another hot headed disgruntled employee who has authority issues if you are like "he's a mean and nasty man, he does this and doesn't do this", as opposed to someone who feels their rights were legitimately violated as yours seemingly were.

I recommend you first try and utilize the W-Dial option that Winn-Dixie's HR provides to resolve grievances. If you feel the manager is out of line, then by all means call on every account, it is anonymous after all.

However, I feel you really need to ask yourself this very important question:

What do you want to come of this?

This can go as far as you want to take it I would imagine. You may want to contact an attorney as well and describe the incident, he/she will tell you right away if you have a case or not. If you do...

Just keep in mind that this will be "little ole you & your attorney" Vs. a "Multi-million Dollar Corporation". By no means is that intended to discourage you, more just to iterate the "scope of the fight" if you will. Personally, I feel your right to view ATS would be worth the fight.

Plenty of people have won damages in court cases against Corporate giants (I use that term loosely for Winn-Dixie). Keep us posted in this thread. I would like to know what the final outcome is, grand or not.

Good Day!

[edit for luster]

[edit on 3/14/2010 by UberL33t]

Find a (e)book entitled "How to take your bosses job away" or "How to be in control at the work place" or similar!
Good money, why not make it fun?
Oh, and get to know upper management too!
Strange things happen that way, f ya know what I mean.
Looks like you got a positive one comin' to ya ATS friend!
Plus a S&F from me! Good luck!

My boss is bad but not that bad.
I'm also at 15 bux an hour, plus benies.
Sux to be between a rock and a hard place I know.
The working people have had war declared on them for many years now.
While the rich get, well you know..

Several points:
1) If it is a company owned laptop, then yeah he can tell you not to go to certain web sites. If it is your own, then you may want to lay low for a bit.
2) If it is on company property, then you are on a grey area and slope, as he has to keep the peace in his store and some people may or may not be offended by certain websites, so the best policy would be during your lunch break, when you are not on the clock, go off site and then he can not do anything as you are not on company property and he would be violating your privacy.
3) If he is not paying for the overtime, turn him in, cause that is against the law, or refuse to work the overtime without the extra pay.

reply to post by Blazer


That is exactly what I was going to say.

Just get a new job. Screw that dumbarse.

Go deliver some pizzas, you will get paid way more than you do now.

If you live in Florida, labor laws are quite limited. If you are on company property; whether off or on lunch doesn't matter. They can limit your activity on property. It's not fair by any standard of Freedom. There are federal laws that deal with fairness that may be applicable. From one employee to another I would recommend you start a logbook of every website you see people going onto at lunch or any other time. Date, time, how they what computer they used personal or company, and any difference of the user in regard to skin color, age, sex, religion, etc. Alternatively, like many other posters here it's time to look for another job if you intend to keep viewing this site while on company property.

They can fire you. They will. Your options for doing something about it will be limited to civil lawsuit based mostly on Constitutional issues of discrimination and not applying policy equally. Unfortunately, attorneys won't take cases much anymore as damages have been limited with tort reform so the possibility of a win isn't worth their time. I am assuming if you work for Win Dixie then you can't afford an attorney at $300+ an hour. Welcome to America. Corporate Facism is in full effect.

reply to post by downtown436

Thats sounds pretty good actually for runnin pizzas around!
Heck, when I delvered pizzas it was for minimum wage plus tips and mileage.
I had to work 8 hours there, then work all night at a convenience store both several days a week just to make ends meet!
One benefit, a free lunch everyday, anyway!
(right to work state here, actually a right to be screwed is more like it)

reply to post by Misoir


I just realised I posted wrong suggestion which may harm you. So forget that and do what many people have suggested look out of a new job.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by December_Rain]

S&F misoir.

Sucks to be under anyone's thumb - doesn't it? ...What about those individual rights and personal freedoms we're supposed to have? But...

Like the rest of us, you need to suck it up or change the world.

I would immediately contact his higher ups.

Plenty of "bosses" get pseduo power trips..give them a tiny bit of power and they think they are slavemasters.
Get evidence first however...be it legal recordings or something on paper. nothing like the threat of press getting involved to make upper management take something seriously. If he is, as you said, overworking people without proper payment, upper management will get rid of him asap as that effects their pocketbook should lawyers get involved.

Winn Dixie needs no bad press at this point...people are still freaked out about the shooting years ago, and now that Walmart is eating the competition, they need to have only good press or no press to stay alive.

reply to post by SaturnFX


The is a good point. The best thing for him to do is simply keep his job. If he is a fighter like me he would gather evidence. Be smart about it and follow the rules as outlined by his boss. Also, another option to force the employer's hand a bit. Get with another person and start lobbying for a union representation. They will most certainly fire him. But the NLRB protects workers when two or more people are engaged in attempting to start a union. Consult a labor attorney even if just a consultation on how to best approach this situation.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by ExPostFacto]

reply to post by ExPostFacto



Welcome to the corporate facist world dictatorship. Currently I work for UPS. Im on the preload morning crew, which means im at work before most people are even up. The greatest thing about my job is the fact im part of one of the largest unions in the world. The Teamsters is almost like organized crime. For the past 5 months theve been taking union due off every paycheck which is every week. Now when your only working part time and trying to save money for a pretrade course this is NOT needed. That extra 40 bucks could be put to better use. I can see where your coming from with this. Does Win Dixie have a union? If not I dont know what to tell you bud. The union reps get PAID to deal with this kind of thing and I found there very helpful. But besides that I live in Canada so the rules are a bit different.

When I worked at co-op I was fired because i "missed" shifts. Now when i would check the schedual considereing they never let me pick my hours. I would see the shifts I had to work so id flippin work them. 2 damn days before my probation was up they showed me a schedual id never seen before and said ive missed 2 sunday shifts.. They fired me and I left the store that day without finishing my shift. A couple of my friends also had the same experience. That was years ago now so it really doesent matter. But the principle remains bad buisness practices.

You know what I think could change this here in Canada&US. Some mandatory education on buisness practices and employment codes in highschool. Sure they touch on it a tiny bit in social class. Or in legal studies. But what I want to see is a full fledge mandatory class. That could educate students on there rrights and resposiblities as an employee and as an employer. Who agree with me?

Maybe we banned him for trolling...

I'm just saying...

Seriously, that is hardcore. I would get a new job...

He's just a thug manager who has reached his pinnacle in life. Get him in trouble and he'll be a weeping in a puddle of his own tears.

Don't report him - get him on the tv! But only if you get fired. You can use those tv reporters who are on the side of the consumer to go after him with the charges. Other employees are being exploited and either you get him on tv under scruity of a reporter - along with the other employees who are asked to work on days off, etc.

This guys district managers don't want to see their company smeared. You could always report him to his management in corporate, mention "I have friends who will help me get this televised if I am fired and I have other employees who will cooperate in exposing this manager". Send an anonymous letter describing the issues of all employees under this store's management - make sure to describe everything well but don't name names. Management in most companies feel that this is a dangerous situation when employees are starting to rise-up and challenge them - they tend to react and research the problem. Send to district management and copy to the CEO of Winn-Dixie. Seriously - get it to the top.

Publix is a better store - whenever I've been in FL - much better spot to shop.

Originally posted by Misoir
I am using my own internet service through a Sprint wireless Datacard.
I am using my own personal computer.
I am on the companies property.
I was on my unpaid lunch break.

If I may join in...,

a) Unless you're on their wireless connection with your personal computer, the company can have no say in the matter. You are paying for a legal communication service, it seems improbable that store policy cover that relationship....

b) Unless the company policy (of which all employees are presumed to be subject) specifically prohibits the use of personal communication devices on its premises, the company can have no say in the matter.

c) Although you are on unpaid time, which most people assume is 'theirs,' you are still subject to policies applicable to employees throughout their shift.

-----------------

ALL of this is irrelevant. While most Human Resource organizations like to imply that you cannot be legally fired without cause, 'at will' means just that.

In a court all that needs to be said is "We no longer desire his/her services." and your employment is over. It is a corporate protectionist stance that was endorsed by our political appointees in the Labor Department, and racketeers in the Organized Labor cartel.

Employment without a contract is the equivalent to employment without 'protection.'

------------------

Whatever you were reading at the time probably offended you manager. His attitude and approach to supervision reflects what I refer to as

The stereotypical flaccid 20th century "I'm your boss, you have to do what I say because you should be grateful that you remain employed by my good graces and tolerance, if you were loyal you would project that understanding at all times - now GET BACK TO WORK!"

The attitude is terrible.

Your options? How badly do you want to remain employed?

Go to you car while on break. Use your computer there. There are legal complications regarding trying to impose 'policy' (not law) while in your own vehicle, on your own time.

But if your employer is looking to intimidate you, he or she hasn't much respect for you to begin with. Change that relationship and the dynamic will change.

Bottom Line: If you are not wanted as an employee, harassment is the favored-tool of employers who would rather you quit than having to account for firing you.

Always stay alert for other lateral employment opportunities. When asked why you are looking... simply say 'just looking for a change of scenery.'

[edit on 14-3-2010 by Maxmars]

It is truly amazing how many people read just the first post and hit reply..especially when there are multiple pages of responses...
READ BEFORE YOU REPLY

Originally posted by Misoir
I want to make it clear for everyone.

I am using my own internet service through a Sprint wireless Datacard.
I am using my own personal computer.
I am on the companies property.
I was on my unpaid lunch break.

Your boss could say, and would be perfectly legal in doing so, that you cannot bring your laptop on to store property. If you want to alienate your boss, then browse ATS on your lunch time. If you want to show him you are a team player, then browse ATS at home, or elsewhere.

try to record him saying something about firing u and the website ... then try a lawyer