Employer trying to force porting of personal cell phone number

[PerfessorZ]

I can tell you the phone numbers of neighbors I had 40 years ago, but other than my wife's and my own phone numbers, I don't have a single phone number from the last 15 years memorized. Why? Because phones remember them all. We get attached to phone numbers because they're "ours", but 99% of your casual acquaintances (and a good percentage of your close friends) couldn't recite your phone number if their life depended on it.

My gut tells me the same thing other posters have guessed. Your company is gearing up for some layoffs, but they want to hold on to as many clients as possible. What they fear is you leaving the company and going to work for a competitor, bringing your virtual Rolodex with you.

 

[afan]

I can tell you the phone numbers of neighbors I had 40 years ago, but other than my wife's and my own phone numbers, I don't have a single phone number from the last 15 years memorized. Why? Because phones remember them all. We get attached to phone numbers because they're "ours", but 99% of your casual acquaintances (and a good percentage of your close friends) couldn't recite your phone number if their life depended on it.

My gut tells me the same thing other posters have guessed. Your company is gearing up for some layoffs, but they want to hold on to as many clients as possible. What they fear is you leaving the company and going to work for a competitor, bringing your virtual Rolodex with you.

While I understand that reasoning, if there isn't a no compete clause there's nothing keeping anyone from emailing, writing down etc these phone numbers anyway. They won't get the phone just the number and that isn't the same thing as having all the numbers. Sure the customers have that cell number, but as you say they don't have it memorized so changing it wouldn't be an issue for the customer.

There's no way I would give my number to my work like they want, but I also wouldn't have ever used my personal number for work and gotten reimbursed. If you want me to have a work cell phone then you can buy/maintain it and I'll carry two. There's no way I'm intermingling that stuff.

 

[threecrazykids]

I totally agree...there is something more to this, just what that something is, I'm not sure of. If they do layoffs, they have put WAY too many things in writing for this not to come back on them. It might just be the most ridiculous situation I've ever dealt with as an employee.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Oh h*ll no! I’ve had my number forever and intend to keep it forever.

They can give me a work phone with a new number. NO ONE is ever getting my number.

 

[threecrazykids]

Yeah, that's what I said at first too, until they told me to either hand it over or find another job. As much as I'd love to fight this based on principal, I can't afford to lose this job.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Yeah, that's what I said at first too, until they told me to either hand it over or find another job. As much as I'd love to fight this based on principal, I can't afford to lose this job.

I'd probably copy everything off your phone to a new phone and run a full wipe of your phone before turning it in (some sort of factory reset)...if they ask why, say it had your spouse's personal info and friends, so you wanted it clean before you turned it in...not quite a win-win, but then they don't get everything they want and you don't either, so you both can feel a little victory...

 

[afan]

I'd probably copy everything off your phone to a new phone and run a full wipe of your phone before turning it in (some sort of factory reset)...if they ask why, say it had your spouse's personal info and friends, so you wanted it clean before you turned it in...not quite a win-win, but then they don't get everything they want and you don't either, so you both can feel a little victory...

But there's nothing about giving up thr actual phone, just the number.

Which is part of it too, if you want a new number you have the expense of getting a new phone and have paid for your work phone yourself, which you've already done anyway. At the least if they expect the number in this way they need to purchase a new phone for the number to go to.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Still a hill worth dying on. If enough employees refuse to being bullied they will back down

I would tell my husband to refuse to authorize the transfer of the number. Since I don’t own the phone number, can’t give it to you.

 

[kymom99]

What if you were under contract? Would they buy you out?

 

[threecrazykids]

Yes, they will. They are buying a new phone to port the number to...you can use that one as your personal AND business phone. No thanks, I'll keep a separate phone for personal from here on out. I'm being kind of a B about it right now, I am wiping the phone to a factory reset before adding any information to the new phone. They claim they will ONLY have the number - no access to anything. Riiiiggghhht.

I will be wiping the phone to a factory reset before the number is ported, and will likely keep the phone in the office a lot more than I used to. Policy states you can separate work and business if you so choose, therefore I told my boss I'm following this new policy to a T. No more carrying it during the evenings or weekends and answering because it's both. Now the work phone stays in the office unless I'm on the road...and come 5pm it will go to voicemail.

I may change my mind (and behavior) down the road once the burn of this has worn off...but man am I just chapped about this right now.