I can't do what?

[Klutch]

We received a district wide email today at work stating that managers (which I am) are not allowed to fraternize (their words not mine) or party or hang out with associates. I am a young guy, probably one of the younger ones in management in the district, possibly the company. How in the hell can they tell me who I am allowed to hang out with on my own free time, since that would be the only way to party or hang out them anyway. Is this legal and can I sue?

[darthalexander]

Since they are paying your salary you should listen. Unless you're willing to lose the job that is.

I think it's kind of stupid (not all people are bad and should be warned not to act like morons) but since it's company policy for now you're stuck. You can still hang out with whoever you want, but be very careful someone doesn't stab you in the back and rat you out.

You can't sue because you haven't suffered any damages yet.

[Deleted]

I've worked at places where that was rule that was never enforced. I've only worked one place where it was looked down upon, but it depended on who was doing the fraternizing. If you want to hang out with your co-workers, do it without anyone knowing, and don't take pictures.

[mydixiewrecked]

companies have these policies in place for a reason, fraternizing with subordinates can and will lead to charges of favoritism , amongst other things

[saneiac]

Jul 26, 2010 17:04:41 GMT -5 mydixiewrecked said:

companies have these policies in place for a reason, fraternizing with subordinates can and will lead to charges of favoritism , amongst other things

The wording on the rule is important here. Subordinates is one thing, but the OP says "associates", which could be people at his own level.

[Klutch]

The email said anyone at all. They don't want anyone to talk to each other outside of work period.

[Non Banjoble Tokens]

Yeah, she fraternized me!

[Citizen Snips Has Left]

Maybe it's me, but I don't want to even think about my co-workers when I'm not at work. Hanging out with them would be some kind of sick punishment.

[Allie Kitsune]

Jul 26, 2010 18:27:18 GMT -5 saneiac said:

Jul 26, 2010 17:04:41 GMT -5 mydixiewrecked said:

companies have these policies in place for a reason, fraternizing with subordinates can and will lead to charges of favoritism , amongst other things

The wording on the rule is important here. Subordinates is one thing, but the OP says "associates", which could be people at his own level.

In a lot of companies (especially places like supermarkets, retail, food service), "associates" is code word for "grunts", in order to try to make them feel better about being at the bottom of the ladder.

[saneiac]

Jul 26, 2010 18:33:17 GMT -5 Klutch said:

The email said anyone at all. They don't want anyone to talk to each other outside of work period.

OK, yeah, that's really weird.

Unless... you don't happen to work for a top secret organization of highly trained super assassins, do you? Cuz then I could understand.

[Klutch]

Nope, I work at Big Lots, and I am the same age as the "associates" in question.

[Deleted]

At the Apartment complex I used to live in, the people in the office weren't allowed to fraternize with the residents. I found this out from the one good looking girl that worked there, they of course never knew that we were "fraternizing" on the weekends.

It sounds like it sucks, but if there is any chance that it could cost you your job I'd say avoid it. Unless of course you hate your job and are looking for a way out, in which case I'd say pull a Costanza and "fraternize" on your desk at work.

[LCR, Formerly Blue Nova]

Long and short of it is that even though the laws may vary a bit from state to state, non-fraternization policies are legal and enforceable. The only instance I found where language of a NFP was tossed as too broad was that workers were protected and could fraternize in the case of trying to organize a labor union within the facility or discuss workplace conditions.

[James McCloud IS John Godot]

That's the power of at will employment.

[ToyfareMark]

We have the same rule at my store of which I'm one of the managers. None of us care, none of us follow it. That rule is basically only there for the sake of being there. I've never seen a case of it being enforced, and it would probably take an extreme situation to make that happen.

Now your company isn't the same as mine, so I'm not saying to blindly ignore it like I and the other managers I work with. I will simply say this. Give it some time, and more than likely everything will ease up. There was probably another "extreme situation" that happened at another store in your district and this new rule is simply damage control to take care of the problem in the short term. Just sayin.

[Larryhausen]

Man, if they passed a rule like that at my work, I would have no friends.

[Chainsaw]

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the reason why I never want to be a manager. it's like companies go out of their way to make managers seem above the workers all because they're afraid of goddam lawsuits from people feeling like they might be slighted for someone else. It's ridiculously stupid.

I can't imagine going into work knowing full well that the people I work with aren't anywhere close to my friends, they're just subordinates. It's a stupid way to live life.

[darthalexander]

Jul 26, 2010 18:38:18 GMT -5 Citizen Snips Has Left said:

Maybe it's me, but I don't want to even think about my co-workers when I'm not at work. Hanging out with them would be some kind of sick punishment.

Right on brother. It'd be torture for me.