Cell phone & Internet expectations

**bridge** · 05-15-2010, 10:20 AM

Does your work/office expect you to have a cell-phone and high speed internet? Do they expect you to use it for work? Are you compensated or is it just expected as a "normal" thing you should have and use?
It seems to be the norm for business to just "expect" us to have these items and use them for their benefit.

Maybe I am old fashioned, but if I need these tools to support their business I think they should provide them or at least pay a portion of them. However after a few conversations with co-workers I am amazed at how "expected" it just seems to be. Is this the same as years ago folks needing a telephone for work (in those days usually to call in or be called in to work) Do we need a cell-phone & high-speed to keep up with the working world?

**Ssindi** · 05-15-2010, 12:37 PM

My DH is a truck driver and uses a cell phone to check in with the dispatcher since payphones are not too plentiful anymore. However, He found that a prepaid phone was just fine for his needs. We both have prepaid phones. We don't have family that we need to keep in touch with al the time.It's just the 2 of us old people. I did program all of my siblings home and cell numbers in my phone. Ditto with DD who lives some 5hrs away although I know her landline number.
When forms ask for a cell number,I always write n/a because my phone is rarely on. I also seldom give out my email address.I have three of those so it depends on what it is what address you get. You may not get any at all.

**McD** · 05-15-2010, 01:11 PM

Neither are a requirement for my job. I just need to be able to communicate with the office if I can't be there for any reason. It is beneficial for DH to have one for his job, but not required or expected.

Our CPA did tell us that if we could prove that 75% of the usage on DH's phone came from work related things, we could deduct a portion of the monthly bill on our taxes.

**monkeywrangler71** · 05-15-2010, 01:18 PM

My husband needs a cellphone for work. They are required to use a blackberry now and the company pays for it. He is billed for personal calls outside of work hours. Prior to the blackberry he could use any phone but had to pay for it himself, but was reimbursed for business calls.

It was something that bothered me a lot for many years, that they would not pay for his monthly fees. They said that everyone had a cell phone, so people would be paying those fees anyway. Not true in our case, he never had a phone before they made him get one, I still don't have one (although I used his old one until the contract ran out after they switched to the blackberry).

We have highspeed internet which he uses to work from home, it is not required but the alternative is for him to go to the office when he has work to do in the evening or weekends, so the internet is a cheaper alternative for us.

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-15-2010, 02:14 PM

It seems the new thing to do. They still pay for DH's cell but just stopped paying for the second line and 1/2 the internet. Dumb things are going on though. The bank he has as a client provides coffee but not cups?? The employees bring their own but shouldn't they have a few disposables?

DD got a job as a jewelry teacher and she has to keep the files,pay for photocopying,Bite the profit if her classes go on sale, and buy their supplies for their pre-determined projects.

Things are definately different because jobs are scarce. People will do anything and that is being exploited.

**frugalfranny** · 05-16-2010, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by Ssindi

I also seldom give out my email address.I have three of those so it depends on what it is what address you get. You may not get any at all.

I do the same thing..........have multiple mail boxes.

Originally Posted by bridge

Do we need a cell-phone & high-speed to keep up with the working world?

Funny that you should post this.........I think it is really being abused! Not just the phone thing...

To the point that: I get Quiltmaker mag. (gift from friend)....well, NOW to get all the patterns you have to go online and print them out!!

Yes, they send a mag. but will then give all these links to go to to get 'more'.........or the rest of the info! I have started a letter to them about it as I was so livid when I got the last mag!!

I have been digging for some FACTS to include......so here is part of what I dug up (not sure how accurate they were)

while 76% of Amer. homes have a computer...31.6% of those do not use the internet.

I am really mad about this and plan on doing an 'ear burner'.......what if someone doesn't have a printer??? I darn sure don't want to have to read the mag and then sit down at my computer to print out stuff to get it all!! Opps.......sorry......best get off my soapbox!!

**pollypurebred39** · 05-16-2010, 01:37 AM

We see that a lot out here. Not that many years ago my Sister was a preschool teacher. The day she took her job she walked into an EMPTY classroom. Not one single book, not a crayon, not one toy. When my Sister questioned this she was told the the teachers must provide and PAY for all toys, books and activites for her class. Oh and SNACKS!!! My Sister made minimum wage!

It is not getting better around here, employers are taking full advantage of the fact that people are willing to take ANY job.

**Saule** · 05-16-2010, 07:05 PM

My company has a bunch of people who work from home, as it were, because they mostly travel. Some do have a desk in an official office, most don't. Last year they cut out paying for internet at home for these guys. They consider that all should have it. Of course, the company saves in not having to provide office space for these guys, and getting the benefi8t of employees in key areas, whereh they otherwise would not have personnel,

I still have a company cell phone, but I will not provide my personal cell phone for company business. If they take the cell phone away, that's fine, but my personal cell will not be provided. I used my own laptop for company work, although they now finally are providing lap tops for all of us in our unit. I prefer to travel with my own, as they cannot then complain that I'm also using it for personal email, etc., which is prohibited on company equipment.

If you are expected to be on call during other than your normal work hours and are an hourly employee, you are entitled to be paid for the entire time you are on call, whether or not you get a call.

**Libby** · 05-16-2010, 08:06 PM

I do believe that if they take your desk/office away - ie phone, computer & internet - they need to provide you with those tools to be able to work outside of the office and not infringe upon your family's tools. Employers need to understand this. Unfortunately a lot of companies believe that once they supply you with these tools, you belong to them and are expected to work round the clock non stop

DF is a workaholic...he works non stop. He has hi-speed already but upgraded to super-hi speed and works from home with it but he does charge a portion of the bill (the upgrade portion) back to his employer. His personal cell is just that personal...they just gave him a blackberry

. Can't wait to see how his 'off time' will be now that he has the leash tied to him.

My sister received a blackberry from her work - her work sent her on a wk long course out of town. She had to work during the day at the course then at night to catch up on the day's events she missed via email.

Can you say burnt out?! Its not only about the cost factor its about how they expect you to above and beyond for their company w/o counting the fact that you do have a life outside of work.

**mndtrp** · 05-16-2010, 09:09 PM

I'm not at a level where I'm important enough to need a cell phone for work. For the people that are, I do believe our company pays for the majority of the plan, if not all up to a certain limit.

**ladytoysdream** · 05-16-2010, 09:26 PM

Because of my husbands job, we have to have a landline. They need to be able to get ahold of him in the winter 24/7.
When he first started his job, he had no cell phone. He kept telling me all the other guys had one. Well they talk on the cells, so certain things don't get said on the truck radios for the general public to hear.
So we broke down 20 months ago, and got him a cell. He liked it and suggested I get one also. We each got a tracfone with lifetime double minutes, and only pay $20 for a card for 3 months use. So $ 80 a year. These phones work real good, no complaints here. If we have to tighten the budget any more, I will not buy additional minutes for my phone. Transfer my leftover minutes to his. Our last 2 cards were birthday gifts from his sister. I call that a nice present

And no, the employer does not reimburse for a cell phone. Just something, they think everybody has already.

**frugalfranny** · 05-17-2010, 02:50 AM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

We see that a lot out here. Not that many years ago my Sister was a preschool teacher. The day she took her job she walked into an EMPTY classroom. Not one single book, not a crayon, not one toy. When my Sister questioned this she was told the the teachers must provide and PAY for all toys, books and activites for her class. Oh and SNACKS!!! My Sister made minimum wage!

It is not getting better around here, employers are taking full advantage of the fact that people are willing to take ANY job.

THAT is absolutely incredible! Totally sucks. Did she keep the job?

**Josephhgoins** · 05-17-2010, 08:49 AM

I work from home for my company. My situation is a little different. I put in my notice for retirement and let them know I was moving 135 miles away. They made up this position for me, wanting to keep me with them.

So, I have to have high speed internet, fax, phone, cell and everything. Even had to get a new PC, Fax machine/Printer and phones.

At my old house I only used my cell, didn't bother even having a house line.

My company gives me a monthly allowance to cover all off the extra expenses. The allowance is enough to cover my phones, fax, internet and accrue some for a new PC once a year.