I got this email at work......tell me what you think

Holy cow. looks like I touched a nerve. Your arguments are ridiculous. I'll bet you'd go through the roof if you had to pay to use the toilet at your place of employment.

No, you're not entitled to heating, AC or even lights. If you don't like it, you don't have to work there. Butchers don't get heat, Farm hands don't get AC in the field. You're lucky to have a job. Be happy about that (many don't right now).

And now there's discrimination against Prius owners because a guy is trying to do his job and actually look out for a companies bottom line. I commend this guy. He was nice about it and he gave a sound reason that would make any employer proud. I would def want someone on my team like that. Remind me to never hire you.

 

If the company had gas pumps to fuel its vehicles would that entitle employees to gas up their vehicles at no charge? How is this any different than fueling up your car using the company's electricity?

 

Bathrooms are a necessary provision, and it is understood that they are for employee use. Ever been to a place where they don’t let non-employees use the facilities? I have. How would you like it if someone came over to your house and just hauled a cord up to one of your outlets and plugged in their car? How about a freezer? How about if I was your neighbor and plugged my air-conditioning into your house, so I could stay cool for free? Using the electricity that someone else pays for, without permission, is theft. I can’t believe how many of you think that other people’s property somehow belongs to you.

 

That’s right you are not entitled to your employers A/C, and they could turn it off if they wish to, they can also shut the lights off and let you sit in the dark. The reason they don’t is that they believe rightly that you will work harder if you are more comfortable, not because you are entitled to their stuff.

 

Don't worry about having to hire me. I've been comfortably unemployed for some time now. It just irks me when an employee like a facility manager decides to create adhoc policy. I suspect discriminative adhoc policy was being made since the outlet was not secured or disabled to prohibit other employees or contractors from using it. As an exec, it's these adhoc actions that have required me to replace the facility manager. If an employee drives an electric wheel chair to the office from appartment a couple blocks away and needs to recharge it on an outlet at the office before going home, are you going to unplug them?

 

If you asked me to come over to work at your house I would expect to be able to plug in my tools, and my car.

 

If they supplied "their stuff" to all the other employees then each employee is entitled to the same benefits. The use of an electrical outlet is an ordinary benefit in most American workplaces is it not?

 

I used to work for an employer that provided fuel to employees, albeit only diesel. The IRS asked the employer to quantify the benefit for income tax purposes so we had to occasionally report how many gallons of diesel we had put in personal vehicles for non-work related purposes.

 

Toilets are an OSHA requirement, not an employee benefit.

This depends where you live. Pay toilets are illegal out here.

OSHA again.

Already done where I've worked. Though primarily for electrical and fire safety, not 'theft' reasons.

BTW, one of those employers did set four outlets for free EV charging, back in the 1990s. But it was with a local policy.

 

Here's another ridiculous comparison that's not true. If I work at a feed mill, in the mill, and there's no AC in the mill but, the people in the front office have AC does that mean I'm entitled to AC in the mill? Can I sue the company for not providing AC in the mill?

Use of an electrical outlet to accomplish what the employee requires to complete the job is necessary. Use of the outlet for personal use is the choice of the employer.

It seems to me you may be too comfortably employed. I would advise everyone not to get too comfortable in your employment and to remember not to bite the hand that feeds you. Don't assume your job will be there tomorrow because it may not. Make the most of everyday and every job is an audition for your next job.

 

I would allow you to plug in your tools so the job could be done, but if I caught you charging your car on my power, you would immediately be fired. I don’t put gas in the cars of contractors that work on my house; of course they don’t ask me for it either as they realize that fueling their vehicles is their responsibility.

 

i want to see the same number of pencils and paperclips when you leave as when you arrived.

 

I’m going to stop buying donuts for my team, ‘cause I just realized they’re a bunch of thieves! I’ve seen them plug in cell phones, personal computers, once even a breast pump!
While I do agree that it is better to ask permission initially (especially in the case of something like the PiP that most people are unaccustomed to), if one had the choice*, would you want to employ, work for, or work with a bunch of piking misers? Wrong emphasis. (Next, the “share a square” campaign for toilet tissue, and copious time wasted with quis custodiet ipsos custodes.)

*every job is different, to state the obvious

 

The key word here is "caught" If the contractor stated he had an electric car and would need to plug it in at said house it would be part of the work agreement between contractor and owner of the house.

 

No it is not. An outlet is not a benefit, it is a tool, and as long as the tool is being used for company purposes then it is fine. If I brought all of my personal electronic devices to my workplace to charge them, I would be written up for it, and if I continued I would be fired for theft. But seeing as you feel that power doesn’t belong to whoever pays for it, please tell me where you live so I can come over and start using your power for my stuff.

 

I would expect compensation for the power used, and I would make sure that it was part of the contract. More than likely I would just hire someone else who figured out how to fuel their own vehicles without trying to steal from me.

 

"If I brought all of my personal electronic devices to my workplace to charge them"
no gray area on Fridays?
"please tell me where you live so I can come over and start using your power for my stuff"
try Plugshare.net? Again, mind the slippery slope.

 

If you really believe in this, do you have public outlets installed on your house so folks can come up und use your electricity? If not you are a hypocrite.

 

If you had an agreement (compensation for the power used) then it's not stealing. I thought we're all trying to go "green"

 

“public outlets”. Yes, that is one of the general ideas behind Plug *share* dot net.

But probably somewhat begrudgingly to cranky folks, thankfully none yet.

Everyone get back to work now--stealing the employer’s time will get you castrated with a dull spoon.