What are the rules about Talk Radio at your job?

[cally]

We own a small business and have very few rules. We have an anti-discrimination policy and sexual harassment policy but little else. Recently, we found out that one employee listens to Savage and Rush when we aren't there. BTW, she voted for Kerry. Everyone knows our politics but we don't enforce or try to sway anyone who works for us. Other employees are bothered by this and believe her work product is hindered.

I have occasionally listened to AA or CSPAN at work. I usually don't because it's hard to concentrate with it on and I know it bothers others.

So, we asked employees to not listen to any Talk Radio during work hours. That does include me.

What does your employer do and what would you have done?

[ohiosmith]

1. I make the rules. I don't care who listens to what as long as the job

gets done.

[xultar]

2. I had a wingnut make a complaint against me because she was angry

with me.

Even though we worked in sepearate buildings one day she came to my desk and I had AAR on my PC and she complained way...way after the fact when she was pissed @ me for calling her on the carpet for being an IDIOT.

[Pawel K]

3. At our work we can listen to whatever we want as long as we use headphones

really no harm there.

[SharonRB]

4. I work in a large office (200 or so employees) and there

are no rules that I know of other than that if you're in a cube, you can't have your radio so loud that others can hear. I'm in an office, so I have NPR or Progressive Talk Radio on all day and sometimes stream C-Span if something big is going on. I'm not so sure our IT guys like us to stream, though, because it takes up bandwidth. I haven't heard any official rule, though.

[Shrek]

5. As long as the work is unaffected, I don't care

No restrictions on content or quantity.

But it's not allowed to bother anyone else. If someone indicates that it's a distraction, wear headphones or turn down the volume.

[alpizzy]

6. I work at a small...

family owned company. There are no rules regarding this.
Everyone has a different station on - from Rush (Ugh!) to NPR.
Nobody seems to care...as long as the job gets done.

[auntAgonist]

7. No rules where i work other than keep it quiet enough

so that others are not disturbed.

NPR is what i listen to.

[warrens]

8. We're left to our own devices

But you have to listen with headphones. I occasionally listen to CDs, and I have to listen to C-SPAN and web press conferences as part of my job, but even though AA just started here today, I won't be able to listen to it. Too distracting and not really conducive to hearing my phone ring.

[madinmaryland]

9. None really,

Though common sense really dictates what can be played. Just keep the volume down, and remember that at any time you could have a customer come who could be upset by what is being played (whatever that might be).

The only thing I hear is occasionally a friend puts espn radio on or the local news radio station. I'll listen to espn radio or AAR on a low volume so that it is not heard by anyone else.

If it bothers other employees as you mentioned, then talk to the employee about turning it down or wearing headphones.

If it is affecting her job performance, then have a discussion with her about it, and request that she not listen to the radio at all during working hours.

just my $.02 worth.

:hi:

[txaslftist]

10. No masturbating to Anne Coulter.

[cally]

11. Thanks all...I think we need to re-evaluate the new rule

It sounds like headphones may be required instead. We rarely play music in our offices because clients call frequently and we don't want clients thinking we are not focused entirely on what they are paying us for. Still, there are times when she is doing fairly mindless tasks like filing that maybe she should be allowed to listen if it doesn't distract others.

[TrogL]

12. I had Rush shut off at work

cited the sexual harassment policy

[cally]

13. I like that idea! Could do the same for Savage!

Might do that.

[RebelOne]

14. We can listen to anything we want

as long as we wear headphones and not disturb those around us.

[LynneSin]

15. She's not the only Kerry voter who listens to Oxyrush & Weiner

I know Media Matters solicits reports from those who listens to these types of programs. Maybe she's just keeping abreast of the lies being propgated by the right