Employment Question

[cassa333]

Hi,
This is an odd one but here is the situation.

A staff member has complained that senior staff have been looking through 'his stuff'. He does not think that senior staff and his employers should be looking through it but obviously they think differently.

The stuff is actually the paperwork he uses for his work scheduals, invoices and receipts as well as his hand written notes on the work scheduals and Things like that.

He has a work area that he locks simply because there are tools and equipment that could be stolen etc but others do use the area including his employers. Which is why he is complaining.

So my question is simply, can the employers look at his paperwork and work area (and make comment if they chose to) whenever they like?

Thanks

[SirOracle]

They are his employers,why shouldn't they look through his business papers.

[Maydup]

Yes, its not very nice of them, but only his private life is private.

[RATTER15]

If I employed someone, I would certainly feel entitled to see all work or notes that are made in my time on my paper at my place of work! Why not?

[Peter Pedant]

short answer is yes - anything produced in work time is the employers

you know the number codes that are used to transmit your credit card numbers ? made the American inventor lots of moolah

in fact pre invented by mathematicians at GCHQ who were philosophical about their loss of income as they said - well we did invent it in govt time so it was the govts

[Mosaic]

Totally agree with all comments above but am still very peeved that one of the first national lottery heritage fund purchases was £14m for 'the CHurchill Papers', which were quite definitely produced in work time.....

[thugulike]

As an HR consultant I would prefer employers ask to see relevant work papers rather than do it behind workers' backs. But, yes, they can