Advice on Work cell phones

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xcaliber

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Hi guys

Long story short.

Company gave me a cell phone with a contract when I joined, with a limit of R1000 incl contract cost.

Now they on a cost saving drive and want the contract moved under my name and I can claim the money back every month. They did this because a lot of people have left the company and they stuck with contracts in their desk.

They giving my no options, but I dont want the contract on my name. If I leave I will be stuck with something dead to me.

Do I have any legal options?
 
Yes - give the phone back, not your contract, they can't force you to sign a take-over.
 
rather ask them for the money, you can add to your current contract or sign up a new one

but signing up would leave you dead for a new one

or buy cheap phone, add R1000 airtime
 
xrapidx said:
Yes - give the phone back, not your contract, they can't force you to sign a take-over.
Click to expand...

They saying if I do that. I can only claim once that contract is over.

So my current work contract expires in December 2017

I can only then "claim" from January 2018.
 
I.am.Sam said:
rather ask them for the money, you can add to your current contract or sign up a new one

but signing up would leave you dead for a new one

or buy cheap phone, add R1000 airtime
Click to expand...

No option.
 
xcaliber said:
They saying if I do that. I can only claim once that contract is over.

So my current work contract expires in December 2017

I can only then "claim" from January 2018.
Click to expand...

That's fine, then don't use your personal phone for work calls?

I personally would'nt take over any "work" contracts, cellphone or otherwise.
 
xrapidx said:
That's fine, then don't use your personal phone for work calls?

I personally would'nt take over any "work" contracts, cellphone or otherwise.
Click to expand...

I said that. Just been called a problem person and why am I questioning the company. Do you plan to leave.
 
xcaliber said:
I said that. Just been called a problem person and why am I questioning the company. Do you plan to leave.
Click to expand...

No surprise, usually anyone that won't bend over for what the company wants is a "problem person".
 
Tell the company to get knotted... you have no obligation to take over the contract and if they won't reimburse you then you just don't conduct work on your personal contract
 
Have had this problem with two companies where I found that staff were "abusing" the so called "we will supply you with a cellphone and pay for the contract deals". (Nashua was very fond of these company based deals!) Found the best solution was to have your own cell phone contract and let the company re-reimburse you for "business use" on presentation of the monthly itemized usage bill. Alternatively give the staff member a "fixed" monthly allowance, and if they exceed this they have to provide proof that it was business use and was unavoidable. Amazing how quickly the cell phone costs to the company dropped! At least the advantage to the employee was as well that if they left the company, they did not have to run around replacing cellphones.
 
Does the company require that you have a company phone for standby, after hours support etc. if they do - then thats their issue, all about providing you the tools to do your work
 
Well, if they want you to be a problem person, go to the CCMA with this and make it a problem for them. I can start to see why so many staff has left
 
At work we have work supplied cellphones. Everything is on their expense. They cannot force you to take over any contract. If someone leaves our company the phone/number gets assigned to a new employee. We stick to using work phones for work purposes only and personal phones for personal purposes only. It's has proven to be quite effective :-)
 
If a company wants you to use it they must pay for it.

Also what happens to the number if it is in the employee's name and clients use it and you dont work there anymore?
 
lord-of-war said:
If a company wants you to use it they must pay for it.

Also what happens to the number if it is in the employee's name and clients use it and you dont work there anymore?
Click to expand...

In my case they gave the phone to someone else. But, it was good riddance. I was burnt long ago with this so when it happened in 2013 that I was getting one again, I used that thing strictly for business calls... I essentially carried two phones... even though they often asked me why the hell I just renewed my contract and got a new personal phone, or, worse, suggested I must give said phone to my wife. When the day came to resign, there were no issues at all.
 
xcaliber said:
Hi guys

Long story short.

Company gave me a cell phone with a contract when I joined, with a limit of R1000 incl contract cost.

Now they on a cost saving drive and want the contract moved under my name and I can claim the money back every month. They did this because a lot of people have left the company and they stuck with contracts in their desk.

They giving my no options, but I dont want the contract on my name. If I leave I will be stuck with something dead to me.

Do I have any legal options?
Click to expand...

Simple, tell them you will get your own personal contract and they give you the R 1k a month. They can keep their contract as it's not yours and they can't force you to take it over. If they don't give you the R 1k every month for whatever reason, just refuse to use your cell phone for work purposes. Simple as that.
 
Thanks for the posts guys. I have moved on from this company so no longer care about their practices.

Regarding some statements. The official line was if you do not take the work contract on your name, it will be taken away and you wont have a company phone. And you could only take a personal contract and claim back once that work contract would have expired.
 
xcaliber said:
Thanks for the posts guys. I have moved on from this company so no longer care about their practices.

Regarding some statements. The official line was if you do not take the work contract on your name, it will be taken away and you wont have a company phone. And you could only take a personal contract and claim back once that work contract would have expired.
Click to expand...
Did you resign between the op and now?
 
I would say they should let the contract runs its course and then not renew.

Then they can tell you to sort your phone out and expense claim it up to a pre-defined limit.

I always preferred one phone and expensing it.

BUT then I also never took the super ninja contract the company offered that I didn't use fully.
 
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