An employee has sparked fury all over the internet after revealing that their boss wanted remote access to their personal computer to check some work files.
In a post shared on Reddit in July, u/click_for_sour_belts explained that because their new manager doesn't know how to access files from his computer, he asks them for remote access to their own personal laptops, which they work from, in order to be able to look at their files.
"When we have to show him something, he'll insist on gaining remote access to our PC via Zoom to check instead of pulling the newest version on his own computer. My turn is coming up tomorrow, and I really don't want him to," the Redditor wrote.
They said that they don't want to give their boss remote access for two reasons: because it's their personal laptop and it feels invasive, and because they don't want to cover for his lack of skills.
"Can I give a legitimate reason as to why I won't allow him to do that, and to instead tell him to update the project and share his screen?" they asked their fellow Redditors.
As of 2023, about 27 percent of employees in the United States work remotely and 16 percent of companies are fully remote, according to statistics from career website Zippia.
"As an employment lawyer, I would not recommend using your personal computer for work," Jon Bell, the founder of Bell Law Group, PLLC on Long Island, New York, told Newsweek. "If it is a requirement of your work to utilize your personal computer, some states require that you are compensated for the use of your personal computer for business purposes.
"Your employer can request remote access to your personal computer if you are using it for business purposes," Bell said. "If an employee refuses, an employer can terminate the employee as the vast majority of employees are categorized as 'employees at will.' If denying access to your personal computer is important to you, you should respectfully request your employer provide a company-owned laptop.
The Reddit post quickly went viral on social media, so far receiving over 12,400 upvotes and 2,000 comments.
One Reddit user, Incomitatum, commented: "If he wants to invade your space, he can do so through a WORK Laptop that they provide to you. No way am I giving anyone access to my Personal machine."
Commenter Fortwaltonbleach wrote: "If they want access to a PC so badly, they should provide you with a PC and all the hickeymadoos that come along with it...take it out of the gas budget management has because we are traveling the information superhighway. in practicalities, I'd have a burner PC for work stuff/micromanagement *if* possible."
Newsweek reached out to u/click_for_sour_belts for comment via Reddit chat. We could not verify the details of the case.
Have you had a similar workplace dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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