Work-Issued Phones Raise Personal Time Questions

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 | by Pat's Picks

If you accept a company-issued smartphone or have your boss foot the monthly bill, does that mean you’re on call all the time? The Miami Herald says there’s a growing number of lawsuits trying to define “concerns ranging from privacy and liability to expectations and etiquette.” Many companies want their employees to put cell phone numbers on their business cards. Others expect work-related phone calls to a work-issued phone to be answered at all hours.

Employees say not only are they not getting compensated for their overtime, there are concerns that private calls and text messages are privy to corporate eyes. Human resource experts say if companies expect they employees to be on call 4/7, they should also expect that their employees will need to take or make personal calls on the clock occasionally.