Is my boss allowed to phone me at home about trivial, non-urgent matters?

Question

I work part time in a shop, whilst I'm quite happy for my boss to phone me at home about something urgent or to change my hours etc. she is also constantly phoning myself and the other employees at home about stupid little things, e.g. to see if I received a letter from them in the post yet or to moan at someone because she's gone into the shop and found they've made a trivial mistake, all of which could quite easily wait.

Is she allowed to do this or am I within my rights to ask her to only disturb me at home if it's about something urgent?

Answer 1

allowed?   YES

should they?  NOT REALLY

Answer 2

Ask your phone company to add her phone number to the blacklist, and then she can NEVER call you.

Answer 3

This happens to me a lot I am the second in command and the top dog never answers his company phone...I got tired of never having a day off..so I let them talk to the voicemail and if it is truly an emergency then I will call them back to assist in talking the person on duty through the incident...crisis averted..If it takes more than 15 minutes I add it to my timesheet.  My boss stopped argueing about when I asked him why his cell phone never works but mine does...same phone, same company.

Answer 4

NO...

Answer 5

yes.

Answer 6

Check your local laws.  In know in California where I work, if you are an hourly employee, you have to paid for your work.  If that's on the phone at home answering a question from the boss then you can put that on your timecard.

Now, if your boss is just calling to chat just find a polite way to be busy.  Go to the front door and ring the bell (so she hears it) and tell her you have to go.  Do that enough and she'll get the hint.

Answer 7

In some companies you could claim overtime for the disruption.

Answer 8

Well there's no law about it but you don't have to help her out and you can ask her not to.

Answer 9

No it's not right. You are covered by law: Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights stipulates that "everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence".

Your employer is breaching your privacy by contacting you at home. She can only do this with your express permission.

You and your fellow employees should go to see your boss, and advise her that you will no longer tolerate this behaviour from her.  

Answer 10

NO she cannot (in my professional opinion) do this.

I used to work for a mental health organisation and communication between staff made the difference between whether our clients received the best of or mediocre services.

Our manager would indeed phone us up on our days off, for clarification on decisions made (when she was not there) or for clarification regarding the outcome when a potential service funder visited and she was not there). All acceptable!

However, she would not, by common, fair practice phone for any old reason, AND she had NO RIGHT to do so, even in that environment.

You should politely tell your boss, you only expect calls in an emergency situation or for clarification on decisions made only.

Despite what someone else said it doesn't matter how or what you are paid. It is just good practice to leave employees have their days off in peace. (It is called the right to having the 'work, life balance') something we are, by law ENTITLED too!

Good luck.

M

Answer 11

I think it matters if you are a salaried versus an hourly employee.  If you are on salary then technically, you are not paid literally for the AMOUNT of time you work and at some level might always be on call (at least for urgent things).  If you are hourly, I would still accept the calls, provided they only last a minute or two.  And certainly, either way, you can tell him or her if it is a bad time and ask that they call back later.

If it is an occasional thing, I wouldn't rock the boat.  If it happens too often, buy caller ID, and allow her to leave a message.  I know some people who often don't leave messages, suggesting they are calling anybody and everybody and will simply vent or put their "emergency" onto the first person that happens to pick up the phone and listen to them.

Again, if you are using a company issued cellular telephone, I think that has some impact as well.  It is certainly not a black and white issue and if it gets really bad, and her or she is an otherwise reasonable person (I recognize some bosses are not), then I would gently broach this topic with him or her.

Answer 12

I think they can do it, but if it gets way out of hand calling more then once a day for unnessary reasons then i would deffitnetly have a talk with her.

Answer 13

No laws govern this.  You could politely ask her to stop calling except in emergencies as it interrupts your day.  If she continues you could 1/ screen calls, 2/ just interrupt politely and say the door bell just rang, you were going out, the baby is crying, or you gotta go.  AFter a few of these she should get the message.  She sounds lonely.