"Always be suspicious of those who work hard to make you think you have no rights. When they care so much about trying to convince you that you have no recourse under the law, chances are they are benefiting from your ignorance."
The Infinite One
This is just a quick my two cents. I was born and raised in the Southern U.S. I now live in Texas. A friend of mine informed me the other day that he had just applied for a part time job at a local warehouse in Arlington, TX. He stated that during orientation, they were informed that if they brought their cellphone into the facility by mistake, it would be "confiscated" and "torn apart" by management and that they would have no say in the matter. The recruiter then informed everyone that if it was a smart phone of any type they should have insurance because the phone would "not be operational" after that point.
Now this job only paid around $8.50 cents an hour. I believed every word he said because since living in Texas I too have had similar experiences. But I know a little bit about the law. And what this guy informed me was one of the most "absurd things" I have ever heard. No. The company can request you to turn over your cell phone (presumably to check and see if pictures or personal information had been stored relating to their operations) but they certainly can't "MAKE" you turn over YOUR personal device.
That is as absurd as someone being accused of stealing out of a grocery store being "FORCED" by company management to open up their purse or turn over their purse. Only law enforcement can do that and plenty of companies have been sued because some ignorant, jackass manager felt he had the authority to "confiscate" or "illegally detain" an individual when the courts and the law have been clear that this is not allowed. Again, ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENT can do this.
My friend stated that he felt this was incorrect to tell the workers; and that he had spoken with others in orientation about this and they had bought it hook, line and sinker. Damn.. That depresses me.
This is one of the reasons it is so important to have a basic understanding of the law. Just because someone has the title of "manager" or they "run a company" doesn't make them an "ethical person". As a matter of fact, Wage theft is on the RISE so very often these "business leaders" place profit over ethics. Dumbed down, pathetically ignorant working populations are fodder for these types of corrupt business managers.
I learned from working at Wingspan Portfolio Advisors to always TRUST but VERIFY. I was classified as a "contractor" yet Wingspan Portfolio Advisors controlled EVERYTHING I did. They controlled what time I went on break and lunch. They controlled where I sat. They controlled every aspect of the job I did. They controlled what days I took off. They controlled EVERYTHING.
And I found out from looking on the IRS Website to the definitions of a "Contractor" that I was NOT a contractor. I was an EMPLOYEE. Yet I didn't have benefits of ANY KIND and had no raises, no sick leave, vacation time, or any other job security.. which was being provided overwhelmingly to the mostly WHITE EMPLOYEES and not black employees.
I LEARNED THAT YOU CAN'T TRUST WHAT THESE GUYS SAY. And that includes ALL EMPLOYERS. Especially these shady redneck undercover KLANSMEN running half these businesses out here in Texas.
Employers are getting away with stealing from workers, mistreating workers, discriminating against workers, and all sorts of abuses simply because workers DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE RIGHTS.
You learn in those company meetings about all the rights and authority afforded to the employer. They are quick to remind you of that. Even going so far as to list code numbers in various regulations that protect them.
Yet they never remind YOU of what YOUR PROTECTIONS ARE.
That should be a hint that something is amiss.
LEARN TO FIGHT BACK. THE ESTABLISHMENT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOU. YOUR IGNORANCE MAKES IT STRONGER.
