By the way i'm a A******, I'm one that doesn't see any reason for a cell phone to be inside a grocery store. if you got an emergency somewhere they can call the store phone. If you got one, the store will call your contact number.
If you got 10 workers for 8 hours and each slip on their cell for 15 mins you loss 2 1/2 hours of work out of them. myself I don't want to do their work for them.
take something unlawfully: to take something that belongs to somebody else, illegally or without the owner's permission
That answers the question unless you want to look at it from today's society view,
Today most people want a society that gives exactly what they are getting. No responsibility , not having to work , free food and welfare , unwed mothers, non responsible fathers, So to those it's a right to charge their phone on company electricity, it's their entitlement for mom and daddy having 5 mins of fun and bringing them into this horrible world where stressful things are ask of them.
I have charge my phone on company electricity and company time but I did ask the store manager, I have a policy to always ask because you never know when a store manager might change a rule real quick to suit them or depending on their mood for the day lol
Now I have a cell phone question, I have seen employees texting each other back & forth in differ depts. and get **** started and next thing you know some one is fired for starting ****, I've seen two meat cutters and a couple grocery people lose their job like that. HAVE you seen that??
I would say it is scrupulous; negligible at worst considering they are of low voltage and having a cell phone is pretty much requisite to gaining and retaining employment anywhere.
When I was in the Marine Corps, we all had to have cell phones at our own private expense. They had to be charged, turned-on, and on our persons at all times at all times when on leave and liberty.
Even now, as a civilian, on my days off I receive text messages and calls from human resources.
Consider an analogy. The folks I work for have 188 retail locations and 3 distribution centers. None of the retail locations retain backroom storage space. Instead a fleet of trucks is used and kept on the roads most of the time. These trucks serve as backroom space for the retail locations. In macro economics this is referred to as an abuse since it is the tax-payers that subsidize the storage fleet. Another form of abuse is subsidized wages. Retails outfits, especially larger ones, can 'buy the labor pot' swamping the local area with job-openings and keep wages at just the level required to keep employees marginal but comfortable with public subsistence.
A number of the employees in my department even with no children retain public subsistence, whether it be for housing, food, or other tangibles.
One might consider another analogy; time and one-half for Sundays. Saturday we have a full department scheduled. Sunday we have two meat-cutters and a clerk. Clearly, this is an abuse.
well considering how so many people forget to turn the lights off in the coolers and freezers or in the bathrooms even. I think its a very small loss compared to that.
The electrical expense wouldn't bother me if I owned the store. I would just be annoyed with the phones laying around and plugged into outlets I might need for something business related.
On the other hand though I would be really irritated if they keep forgetting to turn the light off in the freezer. I hate changing light bulbs every few days because the same person can't remember to flip the switch down when he leaves the room. I believe those energy expenses will add up more than muliple cell phones being charged.
But is it considered stealing? No more than drinking water from the fountain (if anyone still does that) or using the water to wash your hands.
-- Edited by fdarn on Tuesday 11th of June 2013 09:09:57 PM
Now I have a cell phone question, I have seen employees texting each other back & forth in differ depts. and get **** started and next thing you know some one is fired for starting ****, I've seen two meat cutters and a couple grocery people lose their job like that. HAVE you seen that??
No I haven't seen anyone lose their jobs over texting yet but I have seen plenty I wish I could have fired myself for excessive texting on the job.
Cell phones were pretty rare when I left the trade in 1995. I had one and it was the size of a large walkie-talkie. The cost to charge one is pretty insignificant so I don't see how anyone could get in trouble for that since most meat rooms plugged in their own coffee pots and boom boxes, which use much more electricity. However, texting on company time is definitely "stealing time" so I would have a problem with that.
I think it is stealing, especially if you plug it in on company time. You're stealing time and electricty and showing a bad work ethic.
fdarn has a good point about drinking water. I never thought of that. I say if it's from a fountain, then it's free for the taking. All you can drink, but you can't bring 5 gallon jugs and fill them and take it home. If it's from a sink where you wash things, then it is stealing, but I say at a level way less than charging a phone.
I bring a cell phone to work, but I turn it off and leave it in my locker. I check it on my lunch hour and at the end of the day. I have never brought a charging cord with me to work and never would. I make sure my phone is charged before I leave the house. Also, you should charge it with your car's electricty rather than the stores.
I like Leon's points about in emergency's, you can be reached on the compnay line. And don't have your phone with you and turned on. However, I'd say that some managers (I'm not a manager), can use (and charge) cell phones if it's for companay business.
I used to work at a company where you had to remove your gloves and wash your hands and put on new gloves each time you went from the meat area to the fish area. Also, we had to sign a paper saying we'd do that. As you all probably know, its difficult to put on new gloves if your hands are have any water on them. You can't dry them quick enough while customers are waiting. I never counted, but if someone was to follow that policy 100% correctly, they'd probably remove gloves wash hands and put on new gloves about 50 times a shift.
Those kind of policies are written by people who never actually had to follow them. I understand that completely about the gloves. It helps to wear the Xtra Large Poly gloves if your store enforces that kind of policy because they go over wet hands alot easier (unless you really do have extra large hands). However if you have latex gloves to use you are screwed.
I can totally understand changing gloves between species, but washing your hands before putting on a fresh set of gloves? What is the point of that? They most have no faith in the gloves. Maybe they should require multiple gloves to be worn at the same time? Strip off one layer and replace when changing species so you never have to wash your hands?
One thing for sure if you have all those employees changing gloves that often it will get pretty expensive for the company. At a time when most companies are trying to cut down on expenses that is the kind of policy I would definitly rewrite.
-- Edited by fdarn on Wednesday 12th of June 2013 10:29:27 AM
Here is a question that could be used for comparision. Say company policy is to wash your hands for at least 30 seconds before returning to work for sanitary reasons, but you like to wash and rinse under hot water for no less than 2 minutes just to go that extra mile. Or maybe you have an obsessive compulsive disorder? Wouldn't it be considered stealing time, water and electricity all at the same time? Should that be grounds for termination? All you wanted to do was make sure your hands are clean?
I think the cell phones charging or using could be considered grounds for termination meerly because that practice sets a bad example for everyone else. However I can't fathom firing someone over stealing electricy by charging them at work unless I am prepared to fire that guy for washing his hands longer than is neccessary or forgetting to turn the lights off.
I do, but it is uncommon though considering it is turned off unless I am on break. My thought is that its a trade off is do able since i get text messages and calls on my off hours. FWIW the store managers have cell phones that they charge while they are on the job. But, that is their business not mine.
-- Edited by kbraker510 on Wednesday 12th of June 2013 04:43:01 PM
Here is a question that could be used for comparision. Say company policy is to wash your hands for at least 30 seconds before returning to work for sanitary reasons, but you like to wash and rinse under hot water for no less than 2 minutes just to go that extra mile. Or maybe you have an obsessive compulsive disorder? Wouldn't it be considered stealing time, water and electricity all at the same time? Should that be grounds for termination? All you wanted to do was make sure your hands are clean?
I think the cell phones charging or using could be considered grounds for termination meerly because that practice sets a bad example for everyone else. However I can't fathom firing someone over stealing electricy by charging them at work unless I am prepared to fire that guy for washing his hands longer than is neccessary or forgetting to turn the lights off.
"Stealing" may have been too strong of a word to use. I should have asked "is it wrong........"
Anyway:
I don't agree with your analogy, but I like the way you think. I have questions to ask or points to make about stupid company policies all the time.
I bet doctors wash their hands for more than 30 seconds. So maybe we should wash for two minutes with hot water and then have a second person wearing clean gloves put clean gloves on our hands.
I don't think washing your hands (or knives) too long or leaving lights on when not in use could be considered stealing. It might be insubordination, but not stealing.
Washing your car with company water is stealing. I know a manager who used to have the clean up boy wash his car at night.
I used to work at a company where you had to remove your gloves and wash your hands and put on new gloves each time you went from the meat area to the fish area. Also, we had to sign a paper saying we'd do that. As you all probably know, its difficult to put on new gloves if your hands are have any water on them. You can't dry them quick enough while customers are waiting. I never counted, but if someone was to follow that policy 100% correctly, they'd probably remove gloves wash hands and put on new gloves about 50 times a shift.
This policy has two purposes.
1: The policy and your signing it protects the company (not necessarily the customer)
I have to say that if the act of charging a cell phone is considered wrong or stealing, in the meat industry, I am even more certain that I did the right thing by leaving the trade. Charging a cell phone typically uses 1-3 cents worth of electricity. Most employers in other industries like to provide a few very basic perks to their employees such as free coffee, which costs far more.
I have to say that if the act of charging a cell phone is considered wrong or stealing, in the meat industry, I am even more certain that I did the right thing by leaving the trade. Charging a cell phone typically uses 1-3 cents worth of electricity. Most employers in other industries like to provide a few very basic perks to their employees such as free coffee, which costs far more.
Maybe you're right but I don't know why anyone would need to charge the phone at work when you can do it at home. Since it's not turned on at work, it's not going to run down at work. Therefore there's no need to charage it. And you probably have a cord that works in your car too.
I think it's stealing on the same level as taking a pen or pencil or gloves or any supplies that you didn't pay for.
If it's OK to charge our phones at work, then maybe we can also charge our electric razors, electric toothbrushes, electric power drills, and electric cars.
its wrong, unless you are the manager and the phone is a work phone therefore charging it at work is ok as it is part of your job to be available at all times
wow....of all the things to talk about.....and so much interest in the topic...lol
in my department....no phones were allowed, no texting, etc you do that on your time....break and lunch. charging is fine as long as i dont need the outlet for something else. it drives me nuts to go into a business and see people texting on the floor, in the checkstand etc.
a store manager has a company meeting out of town... he stops for lunch,,, not at mcdonalds,,,,and gets reimbursed....is this stealing?
an oscar mayer rep comes to your store -he said your company is introducing a new line of oscar mayer items,,and wants to give you a sample to try- to take home..is that stealing??
a store manager has a company meeting out of town... he stops for lunch,,, not at mcdonalds,,,,and gets reimbursed....is this stealing?
an oscar mayer rep comes to your store -he said your company is introducing a new line of oscar mayer items,,and wants to give you a sample to try- to take home..is that stealing??
It's stealing if he/she eats at McDonalds and says he/she went to a more expensive place. If he/she gets a certain automatic allowance no matter what, its not stealing if he/she doesn't use it for food.
You have to be real careful taking home free samples. It depends on where you work. In my mind and conscience, it's not stealing even though the company may view it differently. That is, if it's a small sample, just enough to try.
One thing I never really thought of until now is listening to a radio that you bring in, but using company electricity instead of batteries that you paid for. If it's stealing to charge a cell phone, then that's stealing too.
I think whether or not it is stealing depends largely on what your employer's policy is, and hopefully your employer does have a well defined policy. I did not do much "professional travel" when I was in the trade, but when I did, I had to provide receipts. In my current position my employer has well defined policies for travel reimbursement and on accepting gifts from vendors. It is best to comply with them! A reasonable company understands that one can accept small gifts from vendors such as meals or sport tickets and still chose the vendor who will provide the company the best deal. I often have vendors buy me lunch 3-5 times per week and I don't buy anything from then if they don't provide us the best deal. These sales people actually get dinged by their employer if they don't spend enough on potential customers like this. A few years ago I was gifted a piece of test equipment with a retail value of $8000 because I helped them develop it and they sold a boatload of them to us and other telecom companies (like Cisco) once they added all the features I insisted on. I had to jump through a bunch of hoops and get approvals from VP level engineering and legal people, but I followed the rules. After all I only had the need to use this equipment on the job, and our operation was made more efficient by the development and use of this equipment, so it was a win-win situation, and now I own one of these at no cost to me or my employer.
-- Edited by jimhenry2000 on Wednesday 19th of June 2013 09:46:55 PM
