Co. website and privacy issue

Paige

An employee has requested (OK demanded) that his phone number not be posted on our website for personal reasons. Can we override that? (It's our property, etc.) OK--here's the kicker--we are a private student housing facility so his "work" number is basically also his "home" number. Does that matter?

Thanks.
Paige

Don D

In my opinion, and if I understand what you said, if you provide housing for him and therefore his business phone is also his residence phone number, and you provide the phone as well, you should publish the number if you do so for others similarly situated. I assume you publish it for a business reason, such as having the number available for others to call 24-7 for their concerns related to why he is residing there in the first place. Tell him he can get a personal cell number if he wishes an unpublished number. Otherwise, it seems to me that it goes along with the job. the fact that he also uses your phone for his personal calls should be waaaay secondary to the business concerns. He's the one getting the added benefit of a phone to use at no cost, but I would not let him dictate the terms of the phone arrangement.

rad

First off, what is in your employee privacy policy? If it says you do not distribute personal information you should qualify that to address these home/work locations. Would removing his number impact his ability to perform his job e.g. do student residents need to be able to reach him 24/7? If so, then he has to have the number there. But if he can perform his duties without that, ask him if he'd be willing to agree to a comprimise, like having his e-mail address posted instead. I'm always curious about "personal reasons", that is so elusive and makes us think we don't have the right to ask for more specifics but my guess is there must be a concern over others having access to the phone number, or he simply may want to have control over his own information.

LindaS

I agree with Don - he took the job knowing that his "business" phone and "home" phone would be the same. I'm assuming the numbers need to be published in case of a problem, etc. so it he no longer wants the number published, he cannot continue to effectively do his job. If he wants a "private" number tell him to get a cell phone.

gillian2

I think that it depends on the website. If it is a site that the world can see I think that privacy concerns would be important. If it is a site that is limited and is nothing more than a phone list of employees accessible to other employees and management then it should be accessible.

Don D

Gillian: What would be the difference in this situation and your prior employer (the university) posting on their website, the names of department heads and their telephone numbers, such as yourself? I assume you did not live in your office, but had you chosen to do that, you would still be subject to the same publication nuisances. If the employer pays for the equipment and owns or controls the residence hall and the department of housing is part of its organization and they enjoy operational control over it, and residents need an after-hours contact number, I see no reason to consider the issue of privacy. The organization is not publishing private information - it's publishing its own information.

gillian2

The problem comes when that list, a book or website, becomes public knowledge and can be the source of someone using the list to stalk someone, for example, an incident which has happened to someone that I know. In that instance, the home phone number and address was listed, certainly not necessary. If it is stricly an office phone number the risk is much less but I don't particularly want every person who has access to a computer to have my phone number - that's very convenient for all the scams that come our way etc. etc. etc.

Paige

Thanks for the responses. This seems to be such a back and forth issue, and I figured as much. However, I think I would tend to take the side of--its company property, office number, etc. This same information is posted on the university search directory.

(I figured I better step in before these two HR giants started duking it out. x;-) )

Paige

Don D

Paige; Dont misunderstand! Responders on the Forum often have professional debates on topics and there's nothing wrong with pressing ourselves for explanations. Nothing unhealthy about that. I, for one, certainly learn from it. That's the whole point of the Forum; questions, responses, opinions, healthy debate, opinions changed and unchanged. Hope you are comfortable with whatever you decision becomes. And don't think you can end a thread, HA! We'll turn it into a cat lover's column before the day is out. x:-)

Paige

I have a cat--a 3-legged cat. She got a rare form of cancer in her shoulder and other than chemo, the only option was amputation. My husband is not very fond of cats and swares this cat will never die!

BTW--as a frequent "lurker" on these threads--I've seen what all of you can do to twist things to something totally unrelated to the original post!

Don D

That would be like twisting a privacy issue question to the discussion of a three legged cat, right? Tell your husband I have a cure for the can't that won't die.