Any corporate attorneys here? (as if!) Or anyone else for a question?

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   pgrundyposted 17 years ago

   Today at my bank job we all got a memo from our direct corporate overlord (but sub-lord to the CEO) that by the end of June all customer service employees will be required to use the bank's online banking and bill-paying service in their own private lives. The rationale is that this way we will be able to more effectively push it on the customers who call.
   
   Here's my issue: Our bank screws up constantly and is losing money hand over fist. We have daily systems issues that we are required to call "updates" so as not to alarm customers who can't access their info even when calling us. I don't WANT to use the online bill pay system--in fact, my man & I have been strongly considering pulling all our accounts and moving to a credit union because the bank is so FUBAR at this point.
   
   Is this legal? Can you force your employees to be your customer?
   
   What say you?

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      JYOTI KOTHARIposted 17 years agoin reply to this

      You have not mentioned in which country do you live. different countries/states have different laws. but if we say Natural justice, your employers can not bound if not already specified in terms & conditions of appointment.
      The financial condition of the bank is going down, as mentioned, hence they take this kind of action in frustration or it may be a strategy adviced by some management consultant.
      jyoti kothari

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2. 58

   darksideposted 17 years ago

   Interesting situation.
   
   Will they be monitoring account activity? Will they be making you prove that you're using their banking services?
   
   I can't give a legal opinion, because I have no qualifications, so all I can give is personal opinion and a good dose of speculation.
   
   I don't think you can be forced. But I think the bigger issue is enforcing it. They'll either have to actively spy on you or you'll be made to report to them. Either way it strikes me as being tasteless and tactless on their part.
   
   Are you in a union?

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      pgrundyposted 17 years agoin reply to this

      I agree. I've calmed down a bit. I'm just so sick of being there that I react to any little thing anymore. No, I'm not in a union--I live in Michigan, I'm lucky to have a job doing anything at all in this state. But it gets discouraging being reminded of that constantly by the company you work for when you know you're underemployed and your job is stressful and crappy. I'm just going to blow it off and see if I can find anything else at all, anything. You're right, how can they enforce it?

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   Mishaposted 17 years ago

   I would just put my money elsewhere and switch empty account(s) at this bank to online access

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      pgrundyposted 17 years agoin reply to this

      So funny, Misha, my boyfriend had the exact response, very matter of fact. His point was, oh that's so chickensh*t, who even cares? Choose your battles.
      
      I have to much emotion sometimes about every little thing. I can't help it though, it's just who I am I think.

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   Eric Graudinsposted 17 years ago

   I'm not a lawyer.
   I'd be surprised if they could make you do this.
   And if that is the way they need to go about business, I'd be looking for a new job.

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      pgrundyposted 17 years agoin reply to this

      Oh yes, I keep looking---sadly it took me TWO YEARS to find this one. And what was I doing when I found this? Another freakin' call center job. I have two degrees and I've been working for 37 years. I'm so burned out on customer service, god I hate it hate it hate it.

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   Lissieposted 17 years ago

   Wow that's outrageous! Id be moving my accounts ASAP to another bank! In fact m partner worked for years with a bank and we gradually moved all our major banking away from them just on principal
   Does your state/country not have any privacy laws the shouldn't be able to connect your personal banking with your job.
   
   Leave 1 a/c with them - the 1 that costs them the most to run/makes the least profit for them!

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      pgrundyposted 17 years agoin reply to this

      LOL! I like your attitude! Good plan Thanks too for validating my reaction. Thought maybe it was me. I just thought it was so lame---like, Geez, is this the only way you can get customers? Uh, maybe there are deeper issues? Just a thought...

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   Lissieposted 17 years ago

   Its really really lame - you're not mad - they are - you're not over-reacting : its sometimes hard to tell when u are in the middle of a crap job : u loose your perspective! Hang in there

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   Dave Saundersposted 17 years ago

   While not a lawyer, I would expect that this sort of thing could be requested, but not enforced.
   
   However...the banking industry has been given way too much latitude in the US. They are no longer bound by usury law and even appear to have influenced the new bankruptcy laws to make sure We The People aren't protected from them anymore.
   
   I'd call a real lawyer and know what your right are for certain.
   
   Also, things vary from State to State. Remember that in the US, state law has first authority and then Federal law. You need to know what's covered in the state where you're working and if any special laws have been established to make your employment based on the laws from the home state of the company HQ.

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   pkmcrposted 17 years ago

   As someone who has worked in HR and also worked for one of the largest UK banks some years ago I would make the following (not to be relied upon   ) observations:
   
   The bank could require you to maintain an account with them to which they would then pay your salary each month - that would not necessarily mean that you would need to actually operate the account as your normal bank account because you could simply arrange for the monies to be transferred to another institution once they are credited to your account with them.  If maintaining an account with them is not already a contractual term then the only way that they could enforce it would be by seeking to vary your contract. That of course has all sorts of implications and depending on whether you are in the UK or elsewhere different laws no doubt would apply. 
   
   The reasons Banks in the UK routinely did this in the past was to ensure that they were able to monitor whether their staff were acting in a financially prudent manner.  They wanted to ensure that staff didn't end up with serious financial problems which could potentially embarrass the bank.  You know the sort of newspaper headline they were trying to avoid I am sure.  However, that was at a time when it wasn't as easy to get finance - I mean nowadays just about everyone on the high street and elsewhere is offering some sort of finance arrangements.
   
   Hope that helps?
   
   Take care
   
   Paul

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   Aeman Aposted 17 years ago

   I do agree with Erik, I'd be looking for another job. First of all, I never heard of forcing your clients to online payments and if there is such a thing good luck with that because that bussiness is going for its down fall very soon. We have many options regarding payment methods to give to the client in order to keep the client at it's satisfaction but giving clients limited options is not a healthy step for a business.

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