Do i have to answer the telephone on my day off?

IF Work called me on my day off is that condier insubordnation if i refuse to answer the telephone ? can they fire me for refusing to answer my home phone or refusing to return there calls.

No, it is your day off, they have no right to be calling you at home, it's not as if you're on call...if you were you'd be paid for the inconvenience.

I doubt it... I mean it's your day off, you could be ANYWHERE!
If you are supposed to be on call, that's another story, but your day off is your day off.

if it is a personal call depends on you, If it is professional depends if they pay you to answer the phone or they don't. If you are not paid I would not answer :)

how will they know? just say you were on a fishing boat with no reception.

no... but think about the person on the other end of the line, it could be one of your friends, or it could be your annoying boss wanting you to come in for the weekend, your dicision, get calller I.D.

Hey how do they know your even there. or all they know when you get back to work... "you were out of town" I dont answer mine on my day off. That is why caller ID exist for me.

UNLESS. I know that something bad might be happening. Example a co workeer had a sick family member and it was only a matter of time before the family member passed away. I would answer phone than because I would gladly cover for a coworker in need.. It all depend on if you know why they are calling

If u are not at work u don't have to but if u are at work answer the phone. Welcome!

If you case on being fired were to go to court, the company would claim that you were fired for other reasons than you refused to return calls.
Companies are smarter about these things than you think. Did you overuse your sick days? Did you ever leave a task undone till overdue? Do you fraternize with co workers, or take private calls at your desk? All these things can surface in your "exit interview"

No, it's not... work is work, home is home.

depends on the type of work you are doing.
most workplaces wont fire you for not answering your phone.
if your already working 60+ hours a week dont answer the phone!
because if your already working that much you need to get your rest. if your working 40 hours then you may want to think about answering the phone.
hope my suggestions help you,
compgeek20000@yahoo.com, Chris S.
i work construction but only work about 40 hours a week and if my boss calls me i answer and head off to work :)

why do they try to call you, if they confront you on why you did not answer tell them your phone is been acting up or you lost it over the weekend if its a cell or you were out of town

Depends on the sort of work you are doing and terms in your contract.

There are a lot of jobs where being "on call" is a part of the job function - particularly if your ecpertise is needed to ensure running the place and they can't shut down and wait for you to get back. But if you were in that sort of job it would be clearly stated and you'd be offered some sort of pay incentive for that.

If you're not contracted to be on call then you're perfectly entitled to privacy on your days off. You are further entitled to rest on your days off - away from work - that is what they are for.

Talk to your H.R. department and ask them what can be done about the increasing level of calls on you days off. Don't be agressive, say you understand if they need you in an emergency you're happy to help but calling you several times for day-to-day business as if you were at work isn't acceptable.

no they cannot its your day off you could switch your phone of if you wanted they cannot do anything unless you on call out that would be different

I never answer the phone at all. I let the answering machine get it and pick up only if it is somebody I want to talk to. I used to go in to work every time I was called in years ago. It led to raises and promotions. NOW it is different. I don't know what garbage they are teaching in business classes now, but everybody I know(even people who don't work where I do) complains that promotions go to the laziest workers. The theory is that you should keep the good workers right where they are because if you promote one you are losing a good worker, if you promote a lazy one you aren't losing much because that one didn't do much work any way. I'm trying to learn how to be lazy, but so far no promotions.

You NEVER have to answer the phone - much less on your "day off" - UNLESS it's your business to DO so - but if your Boss expects you to be home 24/7 - 7 days a week, then you ARE human - and COULD be "out" - how could anybody fire you for that? I mean - people DO have lives - ya know? You deserve THAT.

no. But don't have voice mail. If they can't reach you, you are off the hook unless being "on call" for your job is part of the job. You should be compensated for being on call.

I was once told my employer that I had 2 glasses of wine with dinner and couldn't help them.