Everybodys Number

[flatulentbob]

My employer has put in a new policy where the manager, or the supervisor, or one of the directors must be contacted whenever arriving at a client site and whenever leaving.

 

We must also call in that order every day we have off sick, even if you're sick for two weeks, you must call in every day.

 

IIRC they cannot enforce the constant calling in on sick days, but my point is this.

 

The workers do not have access to work mobiles, so we have in effect been asked to use our own personal mobile phones (or home phones in the case of sickness) to trawl through a sequential list of their mobile telephone numbers for different people.

 

I don't have any objection to remembering the main office number, but I have an objecting to trying to remember several different mobile telephone numbers or storing them on my personal phone.

 

Does my employer have the right to demand I call their mobile instead of the main works number?

[honeybee13]

This sounds a bit heavy, doesn't it? Someone should be along later to comment on the employment law part, hopefully.

 

Are you saying that calling their mobiles is expensive for the guys, or 'just' inconvenient? But are management suggesting that because people move around on the main site, the main works number might not reach them, say?

 

They could make life easier if they insist on this route by maybe texting everyone in the morning to tell everyone who is the contact for the day, or some other system that is less cumbersome for the workers.

 

I had a manager who wanted everyone to call him when they were sick, but not every day from memory. In my case, he would quiz me about why I was off and seemed to assume I had back pain because I'd done something daft, rather than attempting the ironing! It's not fun, is it? Do you have to ring if you want to go to the loo?

 

I hope you get some answers.

 

HB

[Bigredbus]

Hi,

 

Is there anything in your statement of employment particular or contract which could shed light on your question?

 

Do they request that you phone several people or do they insinuate that you have to call every number until you can get hold of someone?

[flatulentbob]

There wasn't anything this draconion in the contract previously. As I said, everythings changing, and yes, the idea is you ring around a list of people until you can notify someone either that you've arrived at a client or that you're going to be sick.

 

I wouldn't mind so much if it wasn't for the fact I called my manager on the landline and he told me I've got to call his mobile from then on.

 

You could say if they're not in the office, it wouldn't be much use calling them on their mobile because they're not likely to be in a position to do anything.

[jack1966]

i thought it would be standard practice if a lone worker is visiting sites to inform someone as to when arriving and when leaving for safety purposes

 

why dont you just put all work numbers under, 'work-' then there name, then they are all together on your phone, as to 'cost' there are many at stake and i agree there should be some monetary allowance if using your own phone,

[flatulentbob]

I don't disagree with phoning up, though the intent isn't for safety purposes but for monitoring purposes as no one is trusted, but I do disagree with storing several numbers on a personal mobile phone when a simple call into the office should suffice.

 

One number should be all that is required. The main office number.

[Bigredbus]

(a) If the intention behind the fact that they want you to contact the office before and after a meeting with a client is just to monitor your contract performance, then I would try to get confirmation of this in writing...

(b) It seems unreasonable that you have to go around your phone book in order to let your employer know when you are on sick leave... a phone call to your HR department should largely suffice...