Ask a Manager

JUNE 7, 2022

I previously worked for a company that had an open office plan, with cubicles with low walls. One employee brought in an iPad and watched movies on it in his cubicle all day long. Was it reasonable for his supervisor to let him watch TV in his cubicle all day long? Here we go…. Is watching movies a reasonable accommodation?

Cubicle 46

Cubicle Interviewing Legal Salary 46

Ask a Manager

AUGUST 2, 2022

Is this legal? One or two days a week there is someone else sitting in a cubicle in my area and the rest of the week it’s just me in a cubicle and one or two people in one of the surrounding offices. The cubicles are low, so people can definitely see me if they walk by. I’m so confused.

Cubicle 46

Cubicle Interviewing Advertising Office Policies 46

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

A few months down the road, the lights would be all turned on in the morning until one of my cubicle neighbors walked in and turned half of them off. You have the legal right to accommodations so your work space doesn’t trigger migraines, as long as the solution doesn’t pose an undue hardship for your employer.

Cubicle 43

Cubicle Office Policies Problem-Solving Consulting 43

SnackNation

MARCH 24, 2017

Step 1: Put together the boxes with the packing tape and place them in a coworker’s cubicle or office. We’ve all probably seen a version of the “fill your co-worker’s cubicle with packing peanuts” trick, and while it’s pretty good, it’s definitely been done before. A cubicle desk with overhead cabinets. Packing tape.

Office Chairs 77

Office Chairs Cubicle Computer Food 77

Insperity

OCTOBER 27, 2011

In general, common sense goes a long way, but legal rulings can throw a curve ball in the game of understanding how employees should be treated. Hewlett-Packard had a case of a Christian employee who posted anti-gay passages in his cubicle. And racist jokes have no place in the workforce. Don’t despair.

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Cubicle Mailing Customer Service Legal 100

Ask a Manager

OCTOBER 26, 2021

The woman in the cubicle next to mine must have emptied out her storage area of Halloween decorations. Obviously I can’t accept because it would expose them to legal liability. The employer is responsible for the legal violation whether or not you knowingly accepted illegal working conditions. Well, not hardly.

Legal 49

Legal Cubicle Advertising Finance 49

Ask a Manager

AUGUST 17, 2021

You told them you’re moving in a couple of months to a state where they’re not legally set up to have employees (likely for reasons like this ). I think you’re seeing it as “but I haven’t resigned and I want to keep working for them” — and it sounds like your boss wanted that too, but then learned that legally they can’t do that.

Legal 40

Legal Cubicle Interviewing Communication 40

Ask a Manager

JUNE 26, 2022

But the most important thing is to report it to HR because she’s opening the company to legal liability and they need to address it with her immediately. I am the only person in my team who is sitting in a cubicle; everyone else has an office. Then leave and don’t look back. My new coworker lied to me about his name.

Cubicle 36

Cubicle Legal Reporting Training 36

Ask a Manager

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

Is this legal? Our office “Nosey Rosey” has recently been going into peoples cubicles/offices when they aren’t around. Management’s response was in all cases was, “You are welcome to call the police and file a report on your own, but not on work time.” ” Is this normal? No, that’s not normal or okay.

Planning 34

Planning Cubicle Legal Problem-Solving 34

Insperity

JANUARY 4, 2016

For example, employment actions, such as changing a covered individual’s title, compensation, job duties, training opportunities, manager, cubicle location or overtime hours could be considered differential retaliatory treatment in some cases.

Cubicle 109

Cubicle Equipment Promotion Training 109

Ask a Manager

DECEMBER 12, 2022

Is that even legal?!?! Apparently, however, not only does this woman play her ukulele frequently, but a few of her cubicle neighbors encourage it. I’m pretty pissed off that they lied to me, and they want my salary back? They’re welcome to ask you to turn over your firstborn too, but that doesn’t mean you have any obligation to do it.

Salary 47

Salary Interviewing Cubicle Legal 47

Ask a Manager

MARCH 6, 2017

We mostly work in the typical open cubicle format, with only a few offices, and she happens to sit in the row of cubicles directly next to mine. Is there any way you’d be willing to hold off on bringing those into our cubicle area for the next couple of months? I said that if he preferred I’d stick to my legal name.

Supplies 20

Supplies Correspondence Cubicle Food 20

Ask a Manager

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

I overheard a conversation between two supervisors in our office (I have a cubicle, they were in the conference room opposite me, the door was half-open, and they’re both loud talkers). Their legal obligations will be the same whether you stay longer or quit now. You don’t need to keep working (for free so far!)

Payroll 37

Payroll Interviewing Cubicle Onboarding 37

Ask a Manager

MAY 6, 2020

I just replied, “Hey, did you hear that Fergus in Legal sent back his edits on that policy document we drafted on llama-herding? He completely changed the meaning of the middle section, and we’ll be in violation of the llama management ordinance if the guidance is released that way.”.

Cubicle 31

Cubicle Purchasing Legal Planning 31

Ask a Manager

AUGUST 25, 2016

I didn’t count on driving all these miles every day only to sit in traffic and then under fluorescent lights in a cubicle. It probably is legal but it certainly doesn’t seem fair. It’s legal, unless you had a signed contract committing them to the telecommuting arrangement. But no, it’s not fair or right.

Cubicle 20

Cubicle Legal Home Office Interviewing 20

Ask a Manager

JUNE 29, 2016

I found out yesterday that my coworker who works in the cubicle next to mine is incredibly offended by the fact that my body makes sounds a lot. But if that’s not possible, I think you probably need to be understanding about the impact it’s having on your cubicle neighbor and not be shocked that it bothers her. Here we go….

Cubicle 23

Cubicle Problem-Solving Legal Controlling 23

Ask a Manager

JUNE 3, 2019

It’s not reasonable — or legal — for her to expect you to work for free. We will soon be renovating one of the offices to fit more and smaller cubicles. Promises of a future position are not compensation for the work you’re doing now (and may never come to fruition). Plus, you’re spending 12 hours a day doing this!

Interviewing 24

Interviewing Cubicle Problem-Solving Computer 24

Vantage Circle

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

It has been developed by American legal scholar Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler, last year’s Nobel prize winner in Economics. When we say office, the things that come to mind are rooms covered in white paint, cubicles, computers. Nudge Theory. A lot of other factors go into motivating an employee. This becomes mundane and boring.

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Food Influencing Salary Cubicle 50

Ask a Manager

JULY 29, 2016

That doesn’t necessarily mean that she should get Fergus’s spot, but it does mean that you have a legal obligation to enter into an interactive process with her to discuss possible accommodations, which could include a light therapy lamp or other options. That’s who you’d want to go to for guidance.

Cubicle 20

Cubicle Legal Promotion Training 20

Ask a Manager

AUGUST 20, 2018

Is this legal? Yes, that is legal. A coworker on the opposite side of the cubicle wall from me has started an unusual habit. I just applied for a position for which I am well qualified. I got an email the following day stating that they are not considering out-of-state applicants. Do I have any recourse?

Interviewing 20

Interviewing Legal Cubicle Flexibility 20

Vantage Circle

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

It has been developed by American legal scholar Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler, last year’s Nobel prize winner in Economics. When we say office, the things that come to mind are rooms covered in white paint, cubicles, computers. Nudge Theory. The authors define nudge theory as –. A lot of other factors go into motivating an employee.

Food 40

Food Influencing Salary Cubicle 40

Ask a Manager

APRIL 4, 2018

The woman who sits near me, with an empty cubicle in between us, bought tons of soda and junk food from Costco and sold it during the challenge, with the proceeds going to the charity. She kept the merchandise in the empty cubicle between us. Most teams raised money via raffles or by selling stuff. How can you work without a contract?

Cubicle 21

Cubicle Food Catering Computer 21

Ask a Manager

FEBRUARY 13, 2020

I work in a large office that was converted from a warehouse — we have many areas of cubicles. Legally you need her to take that, which means you might want to ask her to take lunch no later than 1 pm.). I almost knock people down every time I’m walking around the office. My department has probably 60 configured all which way.

Government 31

Government Computer Cubicle Planning 31

Ask a Manager

JANUARY 3, 2018

Employers are legally allowed to reclaim money that was accidentally overpaid to employees — which means that you could have been stuck repaying the mistaken amount down the road. My supervisors’ solutions were a few space heaters peppered throughout the cubicles, but they are effectively useless.

Legal 22

Legal Cubicle Planning Consulting 22

Ask a Manager

AUGUST 8, 2018

Other people might suspect, but I’m the only person with a direct line of sight into her cubicle. The way they’re doing it isn’t legal. The rounding has to even out (or to be to the employee’s benefit) to be legal. This has been happening at least once a week for the last month.

Cubicle 20

Cubicle Legal Networking Interviewing 20

Ask a Manager

OCTOBER 18, 2015

Today our boss came to my desk to talk to me, in an open office area of about 40 cubicles. Legally, yes, she could be fired, but it’s pretty unlikely that she will be. She doesn’t need to borrow authority from anyone else, or have them handle it for her … and it’s certainly not harassment in the legal sense. Here we go….

Salary 32

Salary Interviewing Cubicle Legal 32

Ask a Manager

MARCH 15, 2017

Is this scenario even legal? I don’t forget my card often, but when I do, I cannot use the restrooms for fear of not being able to get back into my cubicle. Yes, it’s legal. It’s awfully strict, but it’s legal.

Legal 20

Legal Flexibility Flexibility Cubicle 20

Ask a Manager

OCTOBER 9, 2016

Your workplace actually has a legal obligation to prevent this guy from harassing you about religion, if you report it. The person gets a small figurine to keep and a large flag to hang outside their cubicle for the month. I just don’t want to get into what I believe or the things I do to worship or pray. I don’t know what to do?

Cubicle 32

Cubicle Legal Reporting Communication 32

Ask a Manager

DECEMBER 15, 2015

I swear to god I don’t want to be sitting in a cubicle, then get married and settle down with two kids while he goes to work. This is also my first real job in the legal field (I’ve been here two years) so his reference will be very valuable to me when I job search. Can I apply to college without my parents’ consent?

Office Chairs 20

Office Chairs Cubicle Interviewing Legal 20

Ask a Manager

OCTOBER 19, 2017

The row of cubicles that my fellow freelancers and I sit in right now is jokingly referred to as “Contractor’s Row.” I’m a freelance writer contracting at a large company, and I’ve noticed that some people tend to look down on contractors and freelancers. They’re jerks?

Cubicle 20

Cubicle Payroll Purchasing Government 20

Ask a Manager

NOVEMBER 7, 2017

There’s no reason she can’t decorate her cubicle however she wants, assuming it’s not offensive in some way. How do I handle this as a new manager? Unless she’s the receptionist and her decorations appear to visitors to be the company’s decorations, handle it by doing nothing.

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Administrative Assistance Cubicle Insurance Legal 22

Ask a Manager

DECEMBER 19, 2016

One of the leads — I’ll call her Julie — shares cubicle space with my coworker and me and is new to the role, less than six months. Each lead has a certain number of direct reports who they are responsible for but all work together to manage workflow and assignments for the day.

Coaching 20

Coaching Computer Skills Cubicle Promotion 20

Ask a Manager

JUNE 1, 2017

I wasn’t sure it was him or my imagination until he managed to appear outside my cubicle at work. Or, they might deliberately restrict this kind of thing to employees to protect themselves legally; if they blur the line too much between employees and contractors, they can having to reclassify their contractors and pay steep fines.

Training 20

Training Interviewing Cubicle Security 20

Ask a Manager

APRIL 28, 2016

We sit in a cubicle separated by a wall. ” It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on here, but as a board member you have a legal and fiduciary responsibility to check into it, and act if the organization isn’t complying with the law. I love my coworker to death, and don’t want to hurt her feelings.

Correspondence 20

Correspondence Cubicle Promotion Salary 20

Ask a Manager

JANUARY 12, 2016

Legally, we know that we can reduce it a bit, but should we? I sit in a cubicle at work all day. Essentially, we regret paying her the higher salary and feel that she isn’t worth it. And if so, how do we handle that situation? She is at $60k. Entry level for us is $45k, possibly $50k.

Salary 20

Salary Interviewing Promotion Cubicle 20

Ask a Manager

JUNE 2, 2021

My new space is a cubicle within an unrelated department. The person who occupies the cubicle in front of mine, Fergus, loves robocalls. In a legal sense, a “hostile workplace” isn’t what it sounds like: It’s not about your boss or coworkers creating a hostile environment for you by being jerks. Can I report her?

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Cubicle Legal Construction Mentoring 39

Ask a Manager

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

However, our ownership does not want to spend money on legal advice to address the concern. She’s talking about decorating the library space, not personal offices or cubicles. What advice do you have for us? Talk some sense into your owner.

Consulting 49

Consulting Advertising Cubicle Sales 49