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AIBU?

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Original poster

To refuse to use my personal phone for work?

75 replies

MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:35

I am WFH (not through my choice, but work insisted due to me being vulnerable).

I work as a paralegal.

The majority of my work can be done on the computer, by responding to and sending emails and working from our system.

One thing I can't do from home is answer or make telephone calls as I have not been provided with a work phone.

I have now been asked if I will speak with some clients using my own phone as some of them wanted to get in touch with me via phone but couldn't.

AIBU to say no? If they want to provide me with a separate phone that is fine. But I know that clients will not respect privacy or working hours if they have my mobile number and I'll be receiving messages and calls well into the evenings and at weekends.

I just also don't want to use my phone for this and don't feel like I should have to mix personal and work like this.

I assist a solicitor on their matters so I am not the only person with knowledge of these matters and so said clients could speak to them on the phone if necessary but they are very busy.

OP posts:
ComtesseDeSpair · 12/10/2020 15:37

Can you buy a very cheap PAYG mobile and expense it? It wouldn’t cost you more than about £15 for the handset and a few pounds a month in credit, I don’t see how they could refuse that.

QueenArseClangers · 12/10/2020 15:39

Bring up the GDPR angle too.
Do hope they provide you with a computer?

Solina · 12/10/2020 15:40

Why can you not have a phone number set up through teams to make calls and receive them? Thats what we have and you pick it up on computer but the person calls an actual phone number.

Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:41

@QueenArseClangers

Bring up the GDPR angle too. Do hope they provide you with a computer?
Nope. Have to use my laptop although it's logged onto their server.
OP posts:
Mintjulia · 12/10/2020 15:41

You could run calls over zoom, using your computer or tablet. No need for a phone.

eatsleepread · 12/10/2020 15:43

Couldn't you just hide your number?

FunTimes2020 · 12/10/2020 15:43

As a side note, surely your work place is now covid secure with appropriate measures in place. No one is shielding anymore so you should be allowed back to the office.

Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:43

I'll suggest zoom/teams.

I'm the only one working from home so I've never used teams or zoom.

We don't even have a proper IT team... It's a pain trying to do anything like this.

OP posts:
CodenameVillanelle · 12/10/2020 15:43

No of course you shouldn't do this but phones are extremely cheap, surely you can claim £15 for a phone and £10 a month for credit?

Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:43

@eatsleepread

Couldn't you just hide your number?
No because they want clients to be able to contact me. As in incoming and outgoing calls.
OP posts:
Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:44

@FunTimes2020

As a side note, surely your work place is now covid secure with appropriate measures in place. No one is shielding anymore so you should be allowed back to the office.
I would 100% rather be in the office and they know this but they want to be 'on the safe side'.
OP posts:
Terrace58 · 12/10/2020 15:44

We do all our calls over the company computer. That was true even when we were in the office.

CoralFish · 12/10/2020 15:44

I think YANBU.

You could withhold your number, but that would mean that you would have to make all the calls (rather than clients ringing you) and with 'included' minutes in contracts it is very hard to claim these back!

I think that the suggestion above about buying a cheap PAYG and expensing it is a good compromise, if you want to be helpful!

ShashukaSally · 12/10/2020 15:46

If it's for the odd few clients then I'd just use it to be honest. And if they do call out of hours, ignore it! Make them aware you only answer in working hours. Set a voicemail up saying this.

tortoiseshell1985 · 12/10/2020 15:49

I work for a law firm. Have an app on my mobile which when logged into means my phone is then my work phone, calls go through my desk phone in the office and divert from it do they have anything like this?

Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:49

@ShashukaSally

If it's for the odd few clients then I'd just use it to be honest. And if they do call out of hours, ignore it! Make them aware you only answer in working hours. Set a voicemail up saying this.
I don't feel comfortable doing this though. I'd never know if an incoming call was for me or a client and wouldn't feel able to 'switch off'.

I have a friend who does the same job but for a different form who made the mistake of using her personal phone for one client because her work one was dead and he called her at 2am! Honestly I've come in to emails from people moaning that I've not replied to them over the weekends etc... People just don't get that I don't live in the office unfortunately and I don't want to open up my personal space to that.

OP posts:
LakieLady · 12/10/2020 15:50

I would absolutely refuse to use my own phone!

I had to use my phone to ring a client just once (I was in an area where there was no signal on my work phone's network, but my personal one was fine). Because I was in a bit of a stress and it was something of an emergency, I didn't think to withold my number.

That client then used my personal number if ever I didn't answer my work one, including in the evenings, weekends, when I was on leave and even over Christmas.

I never made that mistake again!

Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:50

@tortoiseshell1985

I work for a law firm. Have an app on my mobile which when logged into means my phone is then my work phone, calls go through my desk phone in the office and divert from it do they have anything like this?
I can ask. It's a very small high street firm though that are quite old school and they don't have much in the way of IT so I highly doubt they'll do anything like this.

We've never been set up on zoom or teams or anything.

OP posts:
DGRossetti · 12/10/2020 15:51

Might be worth looking into a VOIP solution that you can access via your PC. You get a number (landline) and access to things like voicemail (that can email you).

I've got two I use -

www.sipgate.co.uk/

and

www.freespeech.co.uk/home/index.html

If you feel brave you can setup an app on your smartphone to allow you to use them as secondary/tertiary contact numbers.

(I wonder if there is an opening for consultants to advise firms that are clearly struggling with some basic concepts of remote working ?)

ScottishStottie · 12/10/2020 15:52

I use my personal phone for work (company expectation and all field workers do) but its a different field to you and very very rare that calls/messages interfere with work life balance.

In your shoes i would get a cheap phone and new number, and have it available for incoming calls only, so you are contactable, and avoid outgoing calls, use emails only. If you needed to make an outgoing call, you could use your own phone and block the number

So for the sake of a very basic headphone without any ongoing credit to topup i would probably not expense it, amd just look at it as a choice to avoid blurring work time and personal time.

paap1975 · 12/10/2020 15:55

Slightly different situation but I found myself in a position where work were calling me on my private mobile. I asked for a contribution to my phone costs and was turned down. I accepted but informed them I would no longer be accepting any work-related calls. Strangely, it wasn't long before they started paying.
You are right to stand firm. Your phone, your rules. If they want you to use a phone, they need to provide it (or Skype and a headset)

Original poster
MyNewFr · 12/10/2020 15:56

That client then used my personal number if ever I didn't answer my work one, including in the evenings, weekends, when I was on leave and even over Christmas

This would definitely happen. I've had clients who just can't believe that we aren't open on Christmas day etc before 🙄

OP posts:
Peachy1381 · 12/10/2020 15:59

I'd stand firm on this and suggest teams, zoom, skype. There are lots of ways to call you that don't involved your personal mobile.

Dazedandconfused10 · 12/10/2020 16:02

Request them to set up a dial pad or similar account and use this on your PC or app on phone for incoming and outgoing calls.

mouse70 · 12/10/2020 16:07

Your phone so NO. Employers need to pay for and provide phone. If they do this make sure you have it switched off/set to voice mail out of work hours

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