Hello all. I work for a control freak boss and a fairly awful company (at the moment). I was told today that I am not allowed to make personal phone calls during my short breaks during the day but only at lunch time - you know when everyone else is on lunch.

Interestingly enough, they are not even for personal reasons but for a Master's Degree that they want me to have. Whatever.

Does he have the right to tell me what I can do (or not) during my own break time? Seems unlikely, but I am still getting my head around things here.

What is ironic are that the smokers can take smoking breaks 6-8 times a day (and sometimes use their phone) but that seems to be okay.

Thanks for your help!

Are you using the office phone, or your mobile?

My own mobile (good question, though)

If he is paying you to work for him, then he has the right to forbid you from using this time for private calls, what do you think?

I expect your lunch breaks are unpaid, and then he cannot forbid you. Why not look for another job?

See question 3:
https://www.ktipp.ch/artikel/d/10-fr...-arbeitsplatz/

If the calls are not urgent, your boss can forbid you to make personal phone calls.

If you're not paid for your lunch break I'd say that your lunch break is free time (because work = employee's work for employer's money) and therefore you can call then - his suggestion therefore makes sense: Don't use the phone during work hours (short breaks are sometimes paid for by the employer and thus count as working hours (so, no calling allowed in your case), but you can make calls in your free time (i.e. during lunch).

Check your contract to see if your non-lunch breaks are paid for by the employer and count as working hours.

Often, breaks are still part of your paid hours, and are a legal requirement, but you're still in your contracted hours, and subject to employers' regulations.

Lunchtimes aren't paid and are yours to do as you please.

Look for a new job immediately, start tonight. i'm not kidding, nothing good can come from working for someone like that.

CathHarmony is right, but in the meantime buy a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. Stick your mobile in your pocket, hold your ciggies conspicuously in your hand, and pop outside to make your phone calls.

My breaks are not paid. They are deducted from time worked so we have to work longer hours to make up for them.

That is my plan. As my breaks are not part of my working day, it should be my time.

I am looking for something else. Just need one project to be finished. This is actually one of better things that is wrong with the company. There are a lot worse ones! But still.

dude, who do you work for? They sound awesome.

Once I get a new job, I'll tell you. Ha ha ha

Can you also post your employment contract with personal details redacted. Just for funsies - I want to see what other shit they pull.

I was told that a couple of years ago (before my time), my boss declared at a company wide meeting that he would refuse to pay for sick time beyond two days. Several employees contacted lawyers, and he withdrew his new "rule". Yes, even if it is illegal, he will try it just to see what he can get away with...

Another thing which is annoying is that for business trips, they refuse to give company credit cards and will either give you a wad of cash ("I'm sorry. You got mugged? Shame, but you still owe us CHF 5000") or expect you to use your own credit card and will reimburse you. I handed in receipts about a month ago for one trip and am still waiting...

Wad of cash is weird but using your own credit card is much more normal than issuing company cards. I know of lots of people regularly 10k in the hole on their own cards. The company pays and pays any interest etc.

I used to get cash up front for business trips. I would put it in my account and then use my personally credit card. When I left the company, I owed them money.

Anyway, I was going to make the get a pack of cigs suggestion and the look for a new job suggestion. But I hate to be a copy cat.... so....

I'll go with: Take your phone to the bathroom with you and get yourself fired.

(only kidding about the second part. )

In terms of sick pay: he can refuse that all he wants, he wouldn't stand a chance in court.

As for business trips: that's actually OK. I travel frequently for business and have no company credit card (and in my case, we're talking about a large MNC), but use my private one. I too often have to wait weeks and weeks until my expenses are reimbursed (given I'm usually away for several weeks and we're easily talking about some 8-9k, I'm less than thrilled about this too, though). The cash thing is a bit odd, but I've heard it before - just put in on your bank account and you won't need to worry that it might be stolen. I would never walk around with thousands of $$ in cash on me.


Other than that: yes he can technically tell you not to make any private calls during work hours. But take your phone to a meeting room if you have something like that and make your calls there if they really can't wait for a couple of hours Or simply switch to e-mail...

Nevertheless, I agree with other posters - quit asap. I worked in a company where one of the partners was like this once. Thankfully not my direct boss, but still, he ruined it for everyone. Awful environment. I lasted a year and a half, but hated every day.

Can he tell me that even during unpaid break time?

Are you posting from work?

i'm sure that's not allowed too

Is that not standard practice? If we take a coffee break, we clock in and clock out and it is deducted from the hours worked that day. If I want to leave a little earlier, or make up some flexi-time, I simply don't take a break.