Companies that rely on wireless communication should heed the warning of the Smith Barney settlement. Management might consider implementing policies that prohibit cellular phone use while driving on company business. If the company provides employees with wireless communication devices, it could require, as a condition of receipt, that the employee sign an acknowledgment that those devices not be used while operating automobiles or other equipment. Company-owned cell phones could carry a sticker warning that using the phone while driving is dangerous and should be done only in an emergency. Even those companies that do not provide wireless communication devices but support or promote use of cell phones may wish to study dependence on this technology to avoid claims that dangerous behavior was tacitly approved.
Wireless phones are convenient and often increase work efficiency.
You should weigh the savings of that efficiency against the physical dangers and potential liability. Questions about individual problems should be addressed to the attorney of your choice. Georgia does not certify specialists in the law, and we do not claim certification in any listed area. Employment law attorneys in your state keep track of new state and federal developments for many of your peers already via a monthly state-specific newsletter. Each issue is only 8 pages and packed with news, analysis, and practical how-to HR solutions.