Caregivers are not taking care of the patients. Too busy on their cell phones.

[violas]

What is the name of your state?Florida. I work at an assisted living facility and many of the caregivers are "too busy" on their cell phones all the time. They don't seem to care about their residents. They only seem to care about sitting on their bottoms and playing on their cell phones all the time. I was thinking of asking the work supervisors if they would be interested in starting a "no cell phones at the workplace" policy. I was thinking they should start a "You are fired if you are caught using a cell phone during your work hours". The way I see it they could leave their cell phones in their cars and then at their lunch time they could go out to their cars and check for messages. Would it be legal for them to do this "No cell phone" policy at work?

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state?Florida. I work at an assisted living facility and many of the caregivers are "too busy" on their cell phones all the time. They don't seem to care about their residents. They only seem to care about sitting on their bottoms and playing on their cell phones all the time. I was thinking of asking the work supervisors if they would be interested in starting a "no cell phones at the workplace" policy. I was thinking they should start a "You are fired if you are caught using a cell phone during your work hours". The way I see it they could leave their cell phones in their cars and then at their lunch time they could go out to their cars and check for messages. Would it be legal for them to do this "No cell phone" policy at work?

It would be legal for them to do so, but I don't think that I would personally implement such a policy. It would mean that they could not be reached in an emergency and that would be bad for morale. Now, I would make it clear that cell phone use was for emergencies only and would start with a written warning with maybe a three strikes you are out policy if they get caught playing games on them.

 

[stealth2]

What is the name of your state?Florida. I work at an assisted living facility and many of the caregivers are "too busy" on their cell phones all the time. They don't seem to care about their residents. They only seem to care about sitting on their bottoms and playing on their cell phones all the time. I was thinking of asking the work supervisors if they would be interested in starting a "no cell phones at the workplace" policy. I was thinking they should start a "You are fired if you are caught using a cell phone during your work hours". The way I see it they could leave their cell phones in their cars and then at their lunch time they could go out to their cars and check for messages. Would it be legal for them to do this "No cell phone" policy at work?

Good luck. LOL

I worked at a place with such a policy. Didn't work.

 

[Just Blue]

Extensive px hx...

 

[Mass_Shyster]

I worked at a place with such a policy. Didn't work.

Why not?

I worked at a place with such a policy. I didn't see any phones after the first violator was fired.

 

[Zigner]

I have to wonder how long the OP will be working at this place once s/he starts dictating her thoughts on policies to the owner(s).

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

I do HR for several places that have a no cell phone policy.

If there is an emergency they can call the business number of the employer. Just like everyone did until a relatively few years ago.

 

[stealth2]

Why not?

I worked at a place with such a policy. I didn't see any phones after the first violator was fired.

We all pointed to the boss's favorite, whose phone was always out. As was boss's. And then the "no smoking" policy came up - with both vaping all over the place.

I will say - most of us only used our phones so our kids could reach us.

 

[cbg]

After reading through the post hx, my advice to the OP is to mind her own business.

 

[Taxing Matters]

We all pointed to the boss's favorite, whose phone was always out. As was boss's. And then the "no smoking" policy came up - with both vaping all over the place.

Then it wasn't the rule that was faulty, it was the implementation and enforcement that was the problem. To make a rule like that work, you need everyone to have to play by the same rules.

 

[violas]

I have to wonder how long the OP will be working at this place once s/he starts dictating her thoughts on policies to the owner(s).

I have a right to offer my opinions at work. The elderly are being neglected and ignored by their caregivers. That's not OK.

 

[violas]

After reading through the post hx, my advice to the OP is to mind her own business.

Yes. I should just mind my own business and just watch the elderly be ignored and neglected because "cell phones" are much more important than the patients.

 

[Taxing Matters]

It would be legal for them to do so, but I don't think that I would personally implement such a policy. It would mean that they could not be reached in an emergency and that would be bad for morale.

Only in the last 15 years or so have people gotten to the point that they think they need to be reached instantly by cell phone in the event a friend or family member had an emergency. Before that, people got along just fine without knowing the instant it happened or being reached directly by their own cell phone. Instead, in an emergency they'd have other arrangements like having their family/friends call their work phone or call the employer and have the employer notify the employee. As a result I reject your premise that a cell phone is necessary for that or that a rule banning cell phones would necessarily result in bad morale. I've worked where cell phones were restricted or banned for various reasons and low morale did not result from that as the employer explained why the rule was needed, provided alternative means to be notified in emergencies, and applied the rule uniformly. Sure, initially employees will be a bit disgruntled at not having constant access to their phones — at least the employees who are glued to the screens all the time — but really, why does an employee need to be on the phone/internet/texting anyway if it's not being used for work? And if they don't need to be using it for work, what real basis do they have for complaint? They are there to work, not chat with friends, check their social media, play games, or stream videos.

 

[cbg]

If you see an actual case of neglect, as in "Mrs. B in room 23 has been calling for help for 20 minutes" then by all means report it. But you don't have actual knowledge of what every specific employee is actually doing or why or what they should or should not be doing otherwise. Where I work there's a real, employer-mandated reason why people would be on their cell phones at certain times and that time is not the same for every employee. It's not for you to be dictating policy.

 

[LdiJ]

Only in the last 15 years or so have people gotten to the point that they think they need to be reached instantly by cell phone in the event a friend or family member had an emergency. Before that, people got along just fine without knowing the instant it happened or being reached directly by their own cell phone. Instead, in an emergency they'd have other arrangements like having their family/friends call their work phone or call the employer and have the employer notify the employee. As a result I reject your premise that a cell phone is necessary for that or that a rule banning cell phones would necessarily result in bad morale. I've worked where cell phones were restricted or banned for various reasons and low morale did not result from that as the employer explained why the rule was needed, provided alternative means to be notified in emergencies, and applied the rule uniformly. Sure, initially employees will be a bit disgruntled at not having constant access to their phones — at least the employees who are glued to the screens all the time — but really, why does an employee need to be on the phone/internet/texting anyway if it's not being used for work? And if they don't need to be using it for work, what real basis do they have for complaint? They are there to work, not chat with friends, check their social media, play games, or stream videos.

We each have our own personal opinions as to what does or doesn't effect morale. In our office there used to be a serious rule against cells phones, because the person who was our bosses second in command hated them in an office atmosphere and our boss decided not to go against her. When she retired he immediately cancelled the ban (and a few of her other rules) and everyone was much happier.