Company's demand to use a specific app

With all due respect, you are extremely out of touch with today's workforce. Every single person I know well, from my kids teacher to one of my oldest friends that is a pilot with southwest must keep a smart phone or other device at their expense. Hell some are required to have multiple devices. Just a few weeks ago I had a plumber at my house, turned out to be one of my daughters classmates father so we talked shop for a bit. Not only does he provide his own smart phone, he had to buy a top of the line iPad to use on site for invoices and accepting payment.

Sure if you work in some factory or warehouse where mobile communication isn't necessary you won't need one. But in any field where mobile communication is needed...very few employers are providing them.

 

The world has changed, not every thing is for the good. It has changed because we let it change, again not for the good. People are way too willing to just go along with the bullies and say yes sir. If we keep giving away our rights we will soon not have any rights left, we get closer every day. When the few we have left are gone what will our life be like then?

 

I can see how your experience with voluntary compliance by employees, using their personal devices for company purposes, leads you to believe that this is a requirement, but in law it is not. I get my information on law from a close family member practicing law and specializing in employment law. If I'm out of touch then so is she. I would bet she has a better handle on the reality of what employers can and can't do than both of us.

Several of your examples of a person being required to maintain a device at his/her expense are commonly union. The law often allows negotiated labor contracts by unions to be exempt from certain employment laws because the negotiated labor contracts compensate and provide higher standards for employees than the law does. If a non union worker is being forced to purchase his/her own device as a condition of employment their employer is breaking the law.

The law has forced employers who require a specific type of clothing, as a condition of employment, to provide such clothing to their employees. Again, employee's governed by professionally negotiated labor contacts are often exempt, but the unrepresented common folk aren't.

I am a non union employee. I use my cell phone to communicate with my employer as it is sometimes more efficient than their satellite communications device. However, I can not be forced to do this. It's against the law, and my company knows it.

(no disrespect intended here - just difference of opinion)

 

Um, doesn't everyone just go for the unlimited plan these days?
It's usually a better deal or you get unlimited when you sign up with a new carrier.

 

I do. I have unlimited talk, text, and data, but that doesn't give my employer the ability to force me to use my phone for company business.

 

Funny you mention law. My sister works for a big law firm here. They require her to keep a cell phone and a laptop as a condition of her employment.

I'd love to see the law that states an employer can't require employees to purchase something related to the job.

 

My relative doesn't work for a law firm. She is the law firm.

So, what do you think keeps southwest from making your pilot friend purchase his own company airplane? Sounds absurd, but where is that line drawn? There is no law that says southwest can't make your friend buy his own airplane, but just let them try it and watch how fast the law shuts them down on that idea.

Technology is evolving faster than the laws that regulate it. Heck, employers were forcing employees to give them the passwords to their private social media sites for a while. The law has stepped in and put a stop to it.

Right now there is a lot of people voluntarily using tech for company business when they don't have to. When employers overstep their boundaries and someone complains the law will bring correction.

 

Again, show me the law that says an employer can't require you to buy a cell phone or other type of required gear.

If it's against the law then why does #### near every construction worker buy their own steel toed boots? Why do some employees pay for a couple bucks a week company uniforms? Why are some law enforcement required to purchase their own hand gun?

 

Lol, that sounds like a fleece purchase for the airline....

 

Why do some employers withhold an employee's pay? Well hell, it must be legal then.That argument doesn't fly Spyder. You're in a truck driver forum using airline pilots, police officers, law firm employee's, teachers, and other union employees as examples to why you think truck drivers have to pay for company cell phones.

As I've pointed out, there isn't a law that specifically states that southwest can't force your friend to purchase the airplane. However, should they try, a law will be presented, that doesn't specifically state "southwest can not make spyders friend by an airplane for company use" but will apply and prevent the action.

If you're familiar with talking to attorneys you probably know you don't have a five minute conversation with them about the law. I'm not going to call my relative, and talk for at least an hour to get you some legal quotes that you would probably try to argue with anyway. It's fine that you don't want to believe what I'm saying.

People here have the option to take your advice, or to do a little research on their own. A good place for them to start would be the labor board in their state. I've used the labor commissioner several times, and I've won every complaint. That's because before I pursue a complaint I get advice from my relative to see if I have a legitimate complaint. She's been right every time.

You do what you've got to do my friend. It doesn't matter to me whether you monkey see monkey do or stand up for your legal rights. For now we each get to make these decisions for ourselves.