'They treated me like a child': Store manager takes employees' phones away at the start of each shift, won't let them access it until break

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Feb 22, 2025 12:00 PM EST

Having your phone at work is one of the things that keeps you tethered to your own humanity. It's what helps you feel like you're not living in the TV show Severance. You can send off a text to a friend, or you can look at a picture of your dog… all to prevent you from getting too lonely and work-brained. This, of, course, is not to be taken advantage of. 

You don't want to spend all day on your phone or else you're probably not getting any work done. But checking your email every now and again to see if any incredible, life-altering news has come through? Necessary, if you ask me. Not to mention if you have a family that relies on you. If you're unable to check your phone, it might put you in a bad spot, and you might miss something important. There are always exceptions to this, depending on what kind of job you have, but if it's not life or death, I believe in having the freedom to keep your phone on your person.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    田
    via Unsplash+ (Lia Bekyan)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Not all bosses agree with me, though. Some feel the need to treat their employees like school children, taking away the way they communicate with the outside world. Like in this story, where the worker was unsure whether or not it was normal. 

  • 02

    Is it normal for your boss to take your phone?

    Last year i got my first job (which i quit a few weeks later) but something i just remembered is every time id clock in my boss would ask for my phone and put it in this phone pocket, it was the exact same ones they had in high
    via u/AdEmotional64
  • 03
    school. it wasn't just my phone either, every employee had to put their phone in when they'd clock in. you weren't allowed to ask for it until your break and then you'd have to hand it back over to her. the only way you could get it back was after your shift. i counteracted
    via u/AdEmotional64
  • 04
    this by giving her an old phone i had and keeping my actual one in my pocket. i find it quite odd that this was a thing, especially since most of my coworkers were at least above the age of 25. i was 19 at the time, i felt ridiculous. handing in my phone at the
    via u/AdEmotional64
  • 05
    beginning of each shift, it literally reminded me of giving my phone to my teacher at the beginning of every period. they treated me like a child and when i asked her if i could keep my phone on me, but not use it, shed be like "nope absolutely not, no maam that's not allowed, no phones." like ??
    via u/AdEmotional64
  • 06
    also on a side note, my boss also put me down as full time even though i had put part time in my application, and when i explained to her that i cant work that type of schedule she told me there's nothing she could do about it. which is the reason why i quit btw. I'm not sure if that type of behavior is also normal since i'm still quite inexperienced in the job space. one last side note: this was a retail job for a thrift store
    via u/AdEmotional64
  • 07

    Other workers shared their thoughts on whether or not they thought this was a normal ask.

    MinimumBuy1601 2h ago . The only times I ever had to give up my phone was when I was in a testing facility or a high security facility. Both times, they were put in a locker and you got a receipt.
    via u/MinimumBuy1601
  • 08
    rotating_pebble • 2h ago Lol what the f . No, not normal. I would look for another job immediately if my work ever asked this of me.
    via u/rotating_pebble
  • 09
    What if there's a family emergency? This is a disgrace. The implications here are that your job is more important than your daughter needing to be rushed to hospital, for example.
    via u/rotating_pebble
  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10470572800
    via Unsplash+ (Lia Bekyan)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 11
    Joland7000 • 2h ago One of my jobs told everyone they had to keep their phones in their lockers but never provided us with locks so no one used them. It didn't last
    via u/Joland7000
  • 12
    . eddy_flannagan · 1h ago No. Never give someone your phone even if it password locked. Id tell the guy you left it in your car
    via u/eddy_flannagan
  • 13
    Sufficient-Wolf-1818 2h ago • It is quite common for certain type of work places to ask employees to lock up their phones at the beginning of the day. As you search for a new job, ask about their phone policy.
    via u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818
  • 14
    el_grande_ricardo • 1h ago It's not unusual, depending on the job. In a lot of secure places with lots of privileged info, no phones are allowed for security reasons. For a retail place? Probably just tired of employees wasting time in their phone when they should be working.
    via u/el_grande_ricardo
  • 15
    N47881 1h ago . Standard operating procedures in a lot of manufacturing facilities to prevent "spy photos" from being taken. In our plants if you are caught with a photo capable phone it was grounds for immediate dismissal. There are exceptions but very few.
    via u/N47881
  • 16
    1962Michael • 1h ago I've worked in manufacturing plants where cell phones would be considered "unsafe" (ignition source) and they would confiscate phones from paying customers as a safety requirement.
    via u/1962Michael
  • 17
    Cell phones can also be considered an "unsafe distraction" when running machinery, for the same reasons there are laws against texting and driving.
    via u/1962Michael
  • 18
    You're not dealing with hazardous materials or dangerous machines. But also it is acceptable for any employer to make this sort of demand, for productivity reasons. You have the right not to work there.
    via u/1962Michael
  • 19
    NOTE: I've been working over 40 years. Companies used to have rules against using the company land lines for personal calls. I got in trouble for calling 30 miles away, which was a long-distance charge.
    via u/1962Michael
  • 20
    Gir... ⚫1h ago Edited 16m ago Many jobs don't allow you to have your phone on you while at work. It is a perfectly reasonable request. I ahve had employees whom I have had to make them put their phones in the manager's
    via u/GirlStiletto
  • 21
    office because they were cosntantly making personal calls, watching movies, etc. instead of doing their job. (They are gone now. My present employees are much more trustworthy and I don;t mind them occasioanlly
    via u/GirlStiletto
  • 22
    surfing amazon, taking personal calls, or listening to podcasts - because the work is being done. I don;t have to micromanage if the work is being done.) And at many medical faciltiies and all correctional facilities in NY, you are not allowed to bring your phone,
    via u/GirlStiletto
  • 23
    smartwatch, tablet, etc. into the buildings. They have to stay in your car and can be confiscated due to patient or inmate privacy concerns. I have also worked at many secure research or manufacturing facilities where phones or anything with a camera or bluetooth are not allowed for security reasons.
    via u/GirlStiletto
  • 24
    You are at work and unless your phone is necessary for your job, it is perfectly reasonable for them to ask you to leave it at home or surrender it at the front desk. You are being paid to work, not use your personal phone.
    via u/GirlStiletto
  • 25
    That being said, there are many places where it is perfectly fine for an employee to listen to podcasts, etc. on their phone while at work, so this isn;t always a thing. I think people are so used to having constant phone and text available for entertainment that they forge that there was a time, not long ago, when people only had landlines.
    via u/GirlStiletto
  • 26
    consciouscreentime • 1h ago That's super weird. No, it's not normal for a boss to confiscate phones like that outside of maybe a secure government facility or something. Sounds like a bad work environment. Good riddance. As for the full-time vs. part-time thing, that's also not standard practice. They should have honored your application. Glad you got out of there.
    via u/consciouscreentime

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job retail bosses work coworkers phone working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit toxic-work-environment
Scroll Down For The Next Article