forcing onto a volunteer fire department

What is the name of your state? Florida
I work @ a chemical plant that has an onsite, VOLUNTEER, fire dept.
Through job cuts, retirements, and salary issues, they are at critically low staffing levels on the fire dept. A request for volunteers has been unsuccessful, so now mgmt. is going to FORCE people onto the fire dept. I don't see how they can legally do this. It has not been a condition of employment, nor is it in anyones job description. Can they do this??? Thanks for the help.

sol@soi said:

What is the name of your state? Florida
I work @ a chemical plant that has an onsite, VOLUNTEER, fire dept.
Through job cuts, retirements, and salary issues, they are at critically low staffing levels on the fire dept. A request for volunteers has been unsuccessful, so now mgmt. is going to FORCE people onto the fire dept. I don't see how they can legally do this. It has not been a condition of employment, nor is it in anyones job description. Can they do this??? Thanks for the help.

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My response:

You tell your boss that your "purpose in life is not to protect YOUR property. Do you want to come to my house and protect me and my property?"

If the employer wants to protect their property, then tell them to hire people for that purpose. Ask him, "just who the hell to you think I am, anyway?"

IAAL

No one is holding a gun to your head. If you don't want to be on the volunteer fire department, don't.

Of course, Florida is an at-will state, meaning that they can fire you for any reason that doesn't specifically violate the law. Since it IS legal for them to add duties to your job description or work schedule regardless of whether it was discussed at hire, they can legally fire you for your refusal. What's more, it's at least even money that the unemployment office would consider your refusal insubordination, which in many states makes you ineligible for benefits.

If you want to risk your job with the possibility of losing unemployment into the bargain, then by all means tell your employer to pound sand.