by Brother James

Created on: August 17, 2008

I perched atop the lofty pinnacle of Mt. Cubicle shall issue forth the ten commandments of cubiclety as determined by the powers that be of cubicledom. The cubicleular edicts are as follows:

1 Thou cubicle was made with thy productivity in mind.

The cubicle production area is arranged so that people (like yourself) can perform task on their own but yet work within an integrated environment. The cubicle enables this contrast by design. It is a largely open workspace somewhat enclosed by partitions that are usually no more than five feet tall. Employees in this setting work detached but are still attached, thus providing the advantage of independent efforts that coincide with access to others. The cubicle thus creates its desired effect; separate but not separated.

2 Thou shall not harbor any delusions with regard to an expectation of privacy.

The busier work stations often require cubicle sharing across shifts. The cubicle only provides an "apparent" separation from co workers. The walls have ears while the ceiling tiles have eyes. And, some of the walls are missing. Enough said.

3 Big Brother is watching theeand listening.

"They can't listen to my personal calls". Says who? "It must be against the law for them to spy on me". What law? Federal law does provide some privacy protection. Title 18 United States Code Section 2511 Still, it is a good ideal to read and keep copies of all employment contract materials. Employment agreements often spell out the right to listen to telephone calls and watch internet activity. And, you agreed to this upon signing the contract. The aforementioned shall not be construed as legal advice. I'm not kidding. The practical response is to use your cell phone for private calls and remember that deleted emails can be retrieved.

4 It would behoove thou to know thy employment status.

The every day cubicle reality may seem unfazed by whether you are a contractor or employee. It seems like a computer programmer by any other name writes software the same. However, the labels are not simply legal fiction. Independents are hired for specific contracts and theoretically enjoy more freedom in doing the job. Blacks Law Dictionary 8th Edition Employers tend to contribute towards employees social security and tax liability via payroll deductions. Independents rarely receive this option. Also, employees tend to get goodies such as 401 (k) plans and health care whereas few independent contracts provide for these benefits.

5 Thou better acquaint thyself

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