Cell phones not allowed during a lunch break? Can a company do that?

by vovchychko

My boyfriend works in a slightly hostile environment, and recently, while he was on his lunch break, he was told that he can’t use his cell phone, on his own time, in the lunch room. The next day they made a rule that out of 30+ employees, the 8 people that work in the warehouse (not including the title-holder’s relatives) are no longer allowed to have any cell phone (even if it’s turned off) on the premises, including the lunch room, even when they are on their own time. They are forcing those employees to leave cell phone’s in their vehicles, which is not feasable in our case as he and I share a car. They knew this when they hired him, and are not willing to provide him with a space to store his things.

He’s not one to use his phone constantly, and only uses it on his lunch and breaks as it were, but this new rule is sort of the last straw.

Now that you’ve read the background, I estimate my question is can a company ban only a select few employees from by a cell phone on premises, even if it’s their own time? Does anyone out here in the Answer’s world know of any documents we can use to show his company?

Answer by siriusb23
I would call a labor lawyer. If they’re selecting who can and who cannot have a cell phone, it doesn’t signal right. Though, in the current economic environment, I wouldn’t want to get argumentative with the mangement/ownership, unless you have a clear case everywhere you’re looking at winning a substantial suit.

Answer by nas88caror 300 way to go 24!!!!!
Each company can set there own rules about cell phone usage,,
its unfair that some can and some can’t and in a warehouse it can be a saftey hazard..
and once in a breakroom it can gdet loud with many by a cell phone.. ours get real loud with all the chatter.. they should just step outside..

Answer by mnwomen
My company does exactly this. Cell phones are not allowed except for supervisors. They are not even supposed to be in the building even turned off. This would come under a company policy and should be evenly enforced. It could be they would say (the ones you say are allowed only because they are related) have to have them for business reasons. And really I reckon anyone can get along without a cell phone for the duration of a work shift. Everyone did it before cell phones. If you want to make an issue out of this then it will doubtless cost him his job in the long run.

Answer by quizzard123
I reckon if he had the phone turned off they would have a tough time enforcing the rule. If he needs to use it during break, walk crosswise the street off company property.

Answer by gomanyes
If they own the premises, they can do whatever they want. If he doesn’t like it, no one is forcing him to work there.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Bushwick Warehouse


Image by aaron13251
I liked the way the set alight refelcted off the windoes of the warehouse. Sadly the cell phone camera does not do it justice

2010 was a excellent year i got a lot of job experience that year. i started off with a fleeting staffing company doing varies jobs dealing with cell phones and then mostly packing or warehouse jobs. then one restaurant as a host then target. so now besides going back to school i dont know everywhere else to apply to for a job. Any suggestions?

Answer by Terry Celestin
to be a dentist or a doctor

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