ee home phone numbers

HR Beginner

We are an agency with 80 ee's. When I started 8 years ago, we had 12 ee's and I continued the practice of maintaining a "Confidential EE Home Phone List," a document distributed to all ee's, updated with each new hire. No one has ever been asked if it was OK to distribute this information; it was just standard practice.

I am no longer comfortable doing this! But when I attempted to end this practice, I got all kinds of grief from managers "who use the list all the time!" xx(

Now it's, "Well, can't you just get the ee's permission to share that information?" They do understand the privacy issue with this practice but they have no idea the time it takes to maintain this ever growing list! (:| How does everyone else handle this issue?

I did a Google search to see what I could turn up with poor results; so I thought I'd ask the experts! xhugs

POPEYE

The only numbers we pulblish as a company is emergency contact numbers. Those are only given to production managers on each shift. Some of the supervisors/managers ask their employees for home #'s and if the EE volunteers it fine.

Don D

"...maintaining a "Confidential EE Home Phone List," a document distributed to all ee's, updated with each new hire."

I'm not sure I understand the concept of a confidential list distributed to all employees. Where's the confidentiality? Bad idea, no matter how long it's been done.

Down_the_Middle

Seems to me you're accepting a burden that is too awkward to bear. While you may have a good argument for creating a centralized list of employee numbers, it's not a good idea to distribute this to the entire workforce. I'd let each department/section/work area maintain their own list of employee contact numbers and you can step aside of the issue.

njjel

Distribution of confidential ee info is a big no-no. I would advise the managers they may request the home numbers from their ee's and maintain their own list, but I would leave myself out of the picture.

dchr9203

Do not continue to publish employee home phone numbers. They should be given only on a need to know basis to managers and production coordinators. Our HR department will provide a home number only to a manager/supervisor with direct line responsibility. Otherwise, its the manager's responsibilty to work with his/her assigned personnel to obtain contact numbers needed to run the department.

Sally

We no longer distribute such a list to all staff. I have a comprehensive list, as does our Executive Director. Our employees have been told that it is expected they will provide their immediate supervisor with a home or cell phone number for emergency use only. Supervisors are instructed they are not to give out that information to anyone else.

dynamite9551

Coming from a current small office from a very large office, we never gave out employee information . In today's environment I do all I can to protect the confidential information of my employees. If one employee wants the phone/address of another employee, they can make the request of the employee themselves. If it involves a work related situation, I would think the supervisor would clear all bases and get pertinet phone number before EE leaves on vacation or departs the office. Implement you new policy - give out no info.

good luck

pork1

We maintain a contact list of three pages of important names pagers, home phone numbers, cell phone numbers. It is good to become listed on this document, that means you are someone with some degree of special importance. Each individual has a right to not have a personal home phone number listed, or their private cell phone number listed. Which means, as an important person one may not receive an important phone call some day and then the company might just realize that there is another way to accomplish a means without you the otherwise important person! We maintain over 65 remote locating work sites and each is expected to set up their own communication system to operate. We set up the system for the corporate body and out to the 65 remote locations; since "communications is the facilitator or all problem solving" it is very important to communicate on the business level, if that infringes on someone's privacy then they need to make a choice of their importance to the business interprise.

PORK

Shadowfax

Sorry to come late to the party, but is there some reg or other requirement that make ees telephone numbers 'confidential'? Most of the id info that relates to all of us is readily available in lots of places in a very short time - I just think this whole 'confidential' thing is being carried way too far. Exam: I took my mom to the Dr and came back to get her. She was not in the waiting room. I inquired about her and was told they could not even tell me if she were there or not as it would be a violation of HIPPA. HORSEFEATHERS! There is good reason to keep confidential info confidential, but it is just plain stupid to say everything about everyone is confidential. "Sorry, you can't ask what my name is because it may....." I can understand if an employee requests the info be excluded..but otherwise I just don't get it. Maybe I've missed something significant. If so I expect you guys will straighten me out. Thanks

AJ SPHR

I agree with Shadowfax.

I work for a relatively small employer (less than 200) and we provide home address and phone numbers via the intranet. Employees always have the right to not have their info displayed but I believe everyone takes advantage of it. We also post a birthday list (no, not the years, just day and month! x:o) on the bulletin boards and many employees use that to give birthday cards or send birthday greetings to each other.

This would not work in every company, but it fits in our team-oriented, friendly, relaxed, casual environment.

p.s. - Shadowfax, it's HIPAA - 2A's!! Sorry, couldn't resist because it's one of my pet peeves.x:D

dchr9203

Nope. No regs or reqs, and I don't disagree with you. I do think it does get carried too far. Its more about what's appropriate, though. Every employee in the company does not have a need to know everyone else's home phone number; only managers and/or production schedulers. I've had experience where employee phone numbers were available and employees used them inappropriately; in one instance even involved stalking and threatening. So its better to ere on the safe side and provide only on a need to know basis.

HRGirl

My company (engineering firm) produces a list of home phone numbers and cell phone numbers. My company has true flex time (everyone comes as they please). We produce this list as a courtesy for everyone. If there is a problem with a job, we can find you and take care of it with little or no effort. Along with the flex time we also have a 4 hour response policy. If you aren't going to be in the office, you are required to check your messages regularly. You are given 4 hours to return calls. If you fail to do so, this becomes a review issue.

We don't give out home phone numbers to clients and such but they are given to each employee. We have very liberal rules here and it seems to all work out.