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Author Topic: What to do about a Phone Bill? Jim Alexander Film Handler Posts: 71 From: Greenwood, Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Nov 1999 posted 01-29-2003 07:42 PM                        Posted rules or no posted rules, common sense is common sense. If the employee knew they were making a long distance call (the one before the number would have been a clue), then they should be accountable for the calls. If you know how the individual was, I would make them pay for them. If they refuse, let'em go and postr rules for all other staff. If they pay, post the rules and warn them.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-29-2003 08:30 PM                        Without knowing who was called, or why, how can a judgement be made? I mean maybe he was on the phone with Kinoton in Germany for 6 hours trying to get a broken projector running again. That's an extreme example but it's possible. In a case like that, if shows were being canceled or something, maybe the guy should get a bonus for trying hard to get the problem fixed. If my theatre was losing shows due to a technical problem, and nobody called for help because it's a long-distance call, I'd be more inclined to fire them for that than for making the call. Admittedly I am curious to know how $114.62 worth of l-d was racked up though.  |  IP: Logged Joe Beres Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 606 From: Minneapolis, MN, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-29-2003 08:58 PM                     David S. is right. Who are we dealing with, and what kind of calls were made? If it was a 16 year old who has never seen, much less paid a phone bill, it could be chalked up to naivete or ignorance. Also, telephone billing is often a little strange. If I am calling outside of my "local calling area," which could be a 15 minute drive away from my house, it will cost me more per minute than it would to call my friend 1500 miles away. With area codes being created and and areas divided, it is becoming more and more common to dial an area code, and sometimes a 1 for even a local call. Though it isn't the case in the twin cities, it is in the Milwaukee area. It's entirely possible that this person didn't even realize that they were calling LD. When writing my initial post, I was assuming (to a degree) that the person that racked up the bill was a teenageer and was not making work-related calls. I would hope that an adult would know better. Like David said, I think more specifics need to be known before really judging the situation.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-29-2003 09:22 PM                        I remember talking on the phone to Pennywise in Austrailia for extended periods of time trying to get the new firmware for the CA21 set up. The phone bill was never THAT high, though. I imagine someone would have said something to me. Or maybe not. But the point is that it IS possible to have super-long distance phone calls in the name of tech support.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 01-29-2003 09:31 PM                     Is it a 900 number? If so, fire 'em. If it is not a 900 number, call it and find out who it belongs to. If it's a business that is cinema related, let it go. If not, then make a decision. BTW, there are some 1-8xx numbers that are multiple bucks per minute. Apparently the phone company ran out of 900 numbers.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-29-2003 10:35 PM                        Is it even a staff member that _should_ be making tech support calls?  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-29-2003 10:59 PM                     Written policy or not, this person needs to be at LEAST written up in the strongest terms possible and probably canned. As others have said, if the person is an otherwise good employee give him a chance to explain. If the explanation is acceptable to you, let them off with a warning that any further unauthorized phone calles will result in termination. If this employee is a slacker, I would can him so fast he will think he's in a tuna factory. It is common knowledge... industry standard... whatever you want to call it... that you DON'T make phone calls at work without permission. Try that at McDonalds and see how far you get! NO good employer allows his workers to use the phone and charge the bill to the company. Any person with half a brain knows that. You have the right to can this person if you want to but DO check the labor laws of your state. Some places don't allow you to take restitution from employees even if THEY make the offer.  |  IP: Logged Franklin Armstrong Expert Film Handler Posts: 106 From: Orlando, FL, USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 01-30-2003 01:02 AM                     The Employee Was A 18 Year Old Female And Made Calls To Her Boyfriend In South Florida. There Is A Policy About Phone Usage I Was Woke Up By My Corp. Office And Was Told About The Bills! She Is Getting The Money Taken Right Out Of Her Pay Check The Bill Comes To $118.43 total of 3hr 47min on the phone  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-30-2003 01:41 AM                     I don't know who your LD provider is, but $118.43 for a total of 3hr 47 min on the phone is way out of line. That comes out to 52 cents per minute for an in-state call! Something does not seem right here...  |  IP: Logged Barry Floyd Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1079 From: Lebanon, Tennessee, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-30-2003 10:56 AM                        Seems to me, that's 3 hours and 47 minutes of time that she obviously wasn't working either... but probably was on the clock, which to me would constitute enough grounds for dismissal.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 01-30-2003 10:58 AM                        OK, NOW we have enough information to work with.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-30-2003 08:05 PM                    Take her aside to explain the Company's alternative reimbursement plan. She might decide it's a better option. Better for you too!  |  IP: Logged Charles Everett Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1470 From: New Jersey Registered: May 2001 posted 01-31-2003 11:03 AM                     The Employee Was A 18 Year Old Female And Made Calls To Her Boyfriend In South Florida. Fire her -- ON THE SPOT! That's what my company would have done.  |  IP: Logged Jim Alexander Film Handler Posts: 71 From: Greenwood, Nova Scotia, Canada Registered: Nov 1999 posted 01-31-2003 05:21 PM                        "The Employee Was A 18 Year Old Female And Made Calls To Her Boyfriend In South Florida" Definitely not on the brighter side of smart. I take back what I said earlier. 3Hr 47min on your time and your bill! Obiviously this young lady has a problem with responsibility and maturity. I'm curious, over how long a period did these calls take place? And, how long was she working for you? Was this something that took some time to "develope" or did it start right from the begining? Either way, there are lots of kids out there who are far more responsible than this young lady.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-14-2003 06:06 AM                        Deduct the phone bill AND deduct the 3 plus hours she was supposed to be working but was on the phone from her FINAL pay check. Then change your LD carrier -you're getting ripped off. Try PennyPhone. Their cost per minute: 1 (that's right ONE) cent per minute, any time, any where in the good ole US of A. Try beating THAT price. We've been using them for over a year and the quality of service is as good as any of the other much more expensive SPs (some of them bragging that they have 5 cents p/m plans, like that's some kind of a big deal). As for the sound quality, occasionally I might hear a slight echo -- only say one out of every 20 or so calls, but even that is a minor glitch that is barely noticable. Other than that, you would think you were talking on ATT or Sprint. Once you set up an account, you can make calls from any phone (especially good if you have a few phone lines). It works from any phone, but unfortunately you do have to dial a toll free access number, then your telephone number+4 digit pin and THEN the LD number you want. For us, it's a small price to pay for a penny-a-minute deal. If you have a phone with memory keys, you can program the precall digits. You can set up an account at 888-311-8360. Frank  |  IP: Logged

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