I do maintenance work for an apartment community in Indiana.

Recently, with the growing crime, the company has given the maintenance the opportunity to get over-time by patroling the property after hours.

A rumor has surfaced that they may make us do this. I, of course, will not do this. My question is, is a company legally able to make employees do this? To potentially put their lives in danger?

Thanks,

XenoSapien

Was it in the original job description? What does the employee handbook say about this type of situation. For example, I used to work at an apartment complex with the same problem. They asked us to volunteer for the "security" job, but they were pushing it really hard. I went and looked in the employee handbook, and it mentioned that the job had to stay the same as the job description in the handbook, unless they either changed the handbook or the employee voluntarily did different work. I mentioned that to my boss, and she backed off. I too didn't want to be the "policeman" of the apartment complex. I didn't like the idea of being there alone at night. Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by XenoSapien

is a company legally able to make employees do this? To potentially put their lives in danger?

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Hello xeno:

If you're an "at will" employee, and you probably are, your employer can change anything about your job that he feels like, including firing you for no reason.

So, the answer to your question is yes. You, of course, are free to negotiate a higher salary for the additional risk.

excon

I definitely will ask for more money for that extra service: like, quadruple my rate of pay. If I am forced to do a job that I am in no way prepared for, nor officially equipped to conduct, nor accepted by the city as an official "policing" professional, then I will not comply.

I am a "Mr. Fix-It", and I do this job well. I will do what my job requires without question. But I will not conduct behavior outside of what my job is. I fix stuff. I am not a licensed police officer.

Thanks for the advice, excon, because if the company makes me do this task, I will have an attorney negotiate a profoundly higher rate of pay for me to do this additional service, or I will quit.

XenoSapien

Well as for the more money, normally a good maintenance worker will be making more than a security guard at an apartmnent complex. So I doubt it will increase your income on the hourly basis.

And unless you are union or unless you have a writtne contract, of course theyc an come in tomorrow and say poof you are now a security guard, and you can do it or quit. That is simple enough.

A company can change you pay rate, your benefits, your job duty and more anytime they want unless you have a contract