Cell phone use
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Cell phone use
Company wants me to use my
personal cell phone for work
related stuff including taking
and sending pictures.
I thought the states and feds
said this without recompense
was a big no no.
Asked on April 22, 2019 under Employment Labor Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 4 years ago | Contributor
You are wrong: a company can require an employee to use his or her personal possessions for work without compensating him or her for the use--it can made be a requirement or term of employment. So you can have to use you cell phone for work texts, calls, and to take/send/view photographs; if you work at home or are required to work at home, you can have to provide your own computer or internet; you can be required to drive your own car, without gas, tolls, or mileage reimbursement, to offsite work locations or meetings, or to make deliveries; etc.
Remember: employment in the U.S. is "employment at will": the employer determines what you have to do as part of your job; if you don't like it, your option is to quit and find a different job.
Keep track of your usage, however; it's possible, if you itemize taxes, that you can claim a portion of your cell phone costs as a deduction.
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