Laptop and Phone... Maternity Leave Question

[KnitterNotTwitter]

Work want to take my work Laptop and Phone off me for the duration of my maternity leave. I'd prefer to keep it so that I can keep on top of emails that will inevitably come in, and also because I intend to go on KIT days.
Apparently this mirrors the Sabbatical policy... BUT it feels like they're discriminating against me because I'm on Maternity Leave... Anyone have any thoughts?

It depends.

Starting with the phone, if you are allowed to make occasional personal calls or have to pay for any personal calls you make it is a tool of the job and they are entitled to take it off you while you are on maternity leave. On the other hand if you are allowed to make unlimited personal calls without being charged for them it is a benefit and they must allow you to keep it.

Similarly with the laptop. If they turn a blind eye to a bit of private use it is a tool of the job but if you are allowed to use it as your personal computer it is a benefit.

I think it is true to say that most companies would regard a phone and laptop as tools for the job which they are therefore entitled to remove during maternity leave.

Can you remotely log in to company email from your own computer? We have a webportal that allows that.

I'd think most companies would think they have the right to take the phone and lap top as they do belong to the company. But I think you would be within your rights not to communicate with them by phone or e-mail on work related business if they do this. But this probably wouldn't really be a very good idea.

Yes we have the same policy here. As long as personal calls are kept within the tariff that the business pay monthly then they will turn a blind eye to personal calls. However if your bill has additional charges on it for extra minutes or premium rate calls then your bill is scrutinised and any personal calls are charged and come out of your wages.

Same with the laptop/iPad you can use it for browsing the internet at home perhaps even store some personal documents maybe even let the kids do their homework or play minecraft but if it's damages or gets a virus and it's personal use that caused it you will be charged.

We haven't actually had anyone go on maternity leave but it is in our policy that we can ask for all equipment to be returned. Same as you wouldn't have use of company car as they are pool cars and not personal cars so in theory you take any set of keys and take any car.

HelpMeGetOutOfHere - Your company needs to consult an expert about that policy. Allowing the laptop to be used in that way suggests it may be a benefit rather than a tool of the job, which would mean the employee is entitled to keep it during maternity leave.

officially you are not allowed to use it for personal use, that is the policy, but as we are a small company (very small only a handful of employees) we will turn a blind eye, however the official policy is no personal usage.