Employee broken phone

[sunstrokecity]

All employees are supplied with a company vehicle and company mobile phone.

The employee is responsible for taking care of the phone and repairing any damages that effect use.

New employee said during the week there was a problem with supplied phone, kept open apps etc without pressing any buttons, screen has a small crack in it from dropping approx a month ago.

Employee was told to take the phone to be repaired on Wednesday.

Today, employees phone is uncontactable. Tried various times to phone, text, sent a message on Facebook, still can't get hold of them.

So as not to drip feed employee has only worked for the company for 3 months on a 6 month probation.

Has previously refused to attend a breakdown whilst 'on call', repeatedly makes errors at work, and generally not had a successful time so far.

What repercussions can there be for not being able to reach employee today?

[mimibunz]

It certainly seems like a serious sit down is warranted. Spell out your expectations, including attendance at meetings and availability by phone and attention to detail, and continue the probation. This might just be a course correction.

[GreenKangaroo]

We break phones all the time and tablets, it’s life. Employer has them insured and fixes them

Does their contract say they fix them? Has it been legally tested?

Sounds like an awful place to work. I would try and get another job if I was you.

[GreenKangaroo]

Just read it again. You are the owner, not another employee?

You treat people like crap and you get crap back.

[sunstrokecity]

I treat them like crap?! Are you for real? They are all supplied with brand new iphones in protective cases. And yes if they break them within 3 months I expect them to repair them.

[MrsChollySawcutt]

If you are expecting people to use and be contactable on a work mobile then it is unreasonable not to have the correct insurances and maintenance contracts in place to manage repair and swap outs of broken equipment.

What if the phone is broken beyond repair are you expecting your employee to fork out £100s for a new phone??

You don't sound like you have thought this through.

[RoseAndRose]

Have you supplied the employee with the details of the insurance which the company, as the phone's owner, should have?

Not everyone can afford to pay and await refund, so much better to give them the info so they can go straight to the insurers (assuming you leave them to arrange the actual repairs themselves so it can be done at a time/place convenient to them). If they have nit been given this info, then it's unsurprising that the fault has not yet been fixed.

If there is difficulty with insurers, then perhaps pay upfront costs to employee and get office manager to sort out the insurance in slower time.

[GreenKangaroo]

Phones break even with careful use. Accidents happen. You should insure the phones and have spares always available.

Do you also charge them for the pens they use and any paper?

If the phone is a tool required to do the job then you supply it and maintain it.

[GreenKangaroo]

You. Red an insurance policy with a 24 hour swap out rather than a repair service (is that what your currently have?)

[sunstrokecity]

I fear I have missed out the section that 'they are supplied with protective cases that he has refused to use.'

The mobile is insured, he does have the contact details, however as this is damage caused by not following company procedure and using the phone case as required I don't feel that the company should be pocketing this expense.

[JustHereForThePooStories]

Today, employees phone is uncontactable. Tried various times to phone, text, sent a message on Facebook, still can't get hold of them

Is today a work day for the employee?

Maintenance and repair of company equipment is the company’s responsibility.

[MrsChollySawcutt]

You chose to provide an expensive iphone as the company's standard employee phone. You seem to think the employees should be grateful for this. However you are unwilling to pay for the day to day repairs that go hand In hand with expensive but fairly fragile equipment and want to pass the blame on to the employee.

As I said you haven't thought this through.

[LIZS]

If it is insured the repair expense is limited to the excess. It is irrelevant whether it is broken in 3 months or 3 months and 1 day. I doubt any such clause is enforceable. Supply a temporary replacement basic phone if it is so vital you have contact 24/7 until it is resolved. Are they on a company contract?

[ADastardlyThing]

Company should pay for repairs etc unless it can be proved it was deliberate and not accidental.

Do they get to keep the phone and/or have personal use of it? Is today their day for working?

[WatcherOfTheNight]

Perhaps the phone is being repaired & that's why it's unavailable/not being answered?

[GreenKangaroo]

You send Facebook messages to employees?

It gets worse

[IsobelKarev]

Is today a work day for your employee, and does his/her work require use of the phone at all times?

I don't think you can insist that an employee covers the cost of accidental damage to work equipment.

[sunstrokecity]

Today is a work day for employee.

And the only reason I expect them to cover the cost is that the protective case supplied for the phone has not been used.

[ADastardlyThing]

His conduct is a separate issue and I'd terminate for refusal to carry out at least 2 reasonable work instructions (if the call out was reasonable and part of his role) in just 3 months.

If you have a clause regarding treatment of company property and damage incurred as a result of misuse (not using the case,) you may be able to recoup some of the cost. Depends how policies and/or contracts are worded.

[ADastardlyThing]

But probably better to just get rid tbh.

[BrokenWing]

Not using the case should be a warning, but company still replaces/repairs phone.

You really need to wait and hear why he is not contactable before making any decisions.

[TrippingTheVelvet]

You cannot send them to a repair shop to pay for a broken phone out of their own pocket ! That's totally out of order.

[stinkypoo]

They have not been contactable when they should have been working - gross misconduct? Unless they are able to demonstrate they were fulfilling their work obligations.
If you have the relevant clause in the contract, not taking due care over company owned & supplied equipment can certainly be charged back to the employee, the excess anyway, as long as the damage is due to their misuse or fault.

[Alfie190]

Expecting employees to fix their work phone is absolutely outrageous. I have never come across that before and I am a professional person that has had company provided phones for nearly twenty years.

You give him a phone that works or be prepared for him to not be contactable.

You are a total CF!!

[PenneVodka]

You should have a spare handset to swap to when one needs repair, and then you arrange the repair.

[Satsumaeater]

Perhaps the phone is being repaired & that's why it's unavailable/not being answered

This. Today is Wednesday and you said in your OP that it was being fixed today.

You are not unreasonable to expect an employee to keep their phone in a protective case, and if it is clear that it would not have broken if they had had it in the case, then I don't think you're being that unreasonable. That said, people seem to have major difficulties with Apple phone screens so maybe don't use Apple if that's what you are using.