Company Policies and Such

[awl2005]

What is the name of your state? IN
Ok, I am reading a lot of these posts and basically I get the same impression from all of them. Employees are basically at the mercey of "Manager Discretion" , be it a Fortune 500 company or a lowly, small, non-profit organization. Employee Handbooks and Policies are not worth the paper they are printed on. The company/manager/Board can do whatever they feel like to the employee, can treat them unfairly, can demand that they give them their personal emails (both from work and home) and no one will stand up for them?

I am not complaining, I just want to understand what the bottom line is?

Is this the correct assumption?


Thanks.

 

[Some Random Guy]

In America, the general rule is that you can walk into work on any given day and say "I quit!" Likewise, your employer can say "You're fired" on any day. The main thing that the goverment laws restrict are failing to pay you money owed for previous work, and discriminating based upon a protected class (race, handicap, etc)

Employer handbooks and policies can be changed at any time and certainly don't have the same weight as a signed employment agreement.

Employers pay for company computers and have full rights to access them, including company e-mails created on them. This has been settled in the courts.

As for personal e-mails written from outside the office on non-company accounts, those are not company property. However, there is nothing preventing the employer from firing a person because they turned over or failed to turn over personal e-mails.

The employer and you have a relationship. If the employer treats you unfairly, then nobody will stand up for you except for yourself, your union, your lawyer and your government.

Your union will require membership. Your lawyer will require dollars. Your government will require a clear violation of the law and some luck on your part to get them interested.

 

[awl2005]

thanks

Thanks for confirming what I think I already knew. However, I am concerned about the part that an employer can request and get your personal emails from your home computer on your own personal account (not work). How the heck did this one ever get supported and does everyone know that you basically have no rights (unless of course, you are a criminal!).

 

[moburkes]

Thanks for confirming what I think I already knew. However, I am concerned about the part that an employer can request and get your personal emails from your home computer on your own personal account (not work). How the heck did this one ever get supported and does everyone know that you basically have no rights (unless of course, you are a criminal!).

Anybody can make any type of requrest from anyone. Having said that, that wasn't SRG's point. You are not required to turn over anything to your employer. You are also not required to say goodbye on your way out!