Company/boss using your outgoing message + phone after termination of employment?

[T-1 Thunder]

Got a friend, in the sales type industry where you build clients over years.
He has people he's known for many years from prior employment with other companies.

He recently got laid off(hours and benefits cut) from this lady's business. She took the phone back but never changed the outgoing announcement. It's his voice saying his name and she's catching all the voice mails from his contacts and cashing in on them.

She got personal calls for him and never even bothered to let him know(like my message about having a baby).

I think, if she's using his name and voice and likeness for profit, he should be paid.

This also goes for her company website. His face and name are being used to promote her business because he has papers and qualifications and reputation in the industry that carry credibility.

 

[kevin 714]

hmmm touchy situation caue it was a work phone meaning the number and contacts are probably technically property of the buissness. seems bad form of them though.

 

[Papi-C]

I think that since the recording was made for the business its the IP of the business.

 

[Gragorin]

If however, she's still using his likeness on her website or promoting him in some manner he should be able to smack her down hard for that I would suppose.

 

[mercurial]

The hallmark of a good sales person is they own their relationships and carry them to whatever new position they might take.

If your boy didn't secure the cell # for transfer to a personal account post termination, and if the client relationships are so weak that the clients don't give a crap whether hes around or not, maybe he isn't as good or valuable as he led you to believe.

 

[bluenoser]

Got a friend, in the sales type industry where you build clients over years.
He has people he's known for many years from prior employment with other companies.

He recently got laid off(hours and benefits cut) from this lady's business. She took the phone back but never changed the outgoing announcement. It's his voice saying his name and she's catching all the voice mails from his contacts and cashing in on them.

She got personal calls for him and never even bothered to let him know(like my message about having a baby).

I think, if she's using his name and voice and likeness for profit, he should be paid.

This also goes for her company website. His face and name are being used to promote her business because he has papers and qualifications and reputation in the industry that carry credibility.

C&D Letter.

But seriously, he's in sales and he didn't follow up with his clientele to let them know of his updated status? :confused

 

[Removed 4]

I recently turned in my company phone that I had for years and got my own.
I was tired of the cheap equipment and hassles the company gave me for the use of the phone.
As soon as I got my phone, I transferred all of the info over and sent out messages to everyone that I had a new number.

There are people who have my old business card that call the old number, but most of them were inconsequential contacts and they also have the company's main line to use.

 

[Beauregard]

Get a lawyer.

Yesterday.

 

[T-1 Thunder]

This is very recent. His papers and client list is still in his desk at her office. She said she'd have someone bring everything to him, but failed to deliver his folder with all his client contacts. He's worried she may be not turn it over to him. He had a lot going on at the time he handed over the phone and simply forgot to delete the outgoing announcement. And of course, he has no control over her website.

If by end of week she doesn't make right, I'll suggest him to write a C&D letter.

Thanks for the feedback. At the very least, this is incredibly unprofessional of her. At the most - it's a legal thing where he could be entitled to compensation. We'll see how it goes.

I figured I'd share with you guys just because it's such a weird thing I've never heard of before.