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Can a supervisor tell you that a co-worker can't rent a room in your house?


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So, I think I've mentioned before that I have an awesome place near the beach. I live 50% with my teenage son and the house is pretty big with an extra bedroom and bathroom. I'm there alone 50% of the time and have thought about renting out the extra bedroom and bathroom.

 

I have a co-worker that I don't work directly with and she's looking for a place near the beach to live. I mentioned my place to her. Our supervisor, who generally a VERY controlling person piped in and said "that's now allowed, I won't allow that, it's illegal".

 

Now, I see how it might not be a good idea and there could potentially be issues, but can your boss or supervisor prohibit you from living with a co-worker?

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why would it be illegal? you can have a contract in place.

 

BUT...

 

is there a codex in the workplace that you're not to have any personal relationships outside of work with coworkers, or make profit from them in any way?

 

sorry for the detour around the main question, but this is your son's room you're renting out? so would the roommate have to leave when the son is with you...or..?

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Do you live in California by chance? Cali is very liberal with employee rights - meaning the big bad company can't stick their nose where it doesn't belong.

 

If you live in Cali, go for it. Literally no risk. Elsewhere I would say you're still fine, just be careful checking your employee contracts.

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While I think having a coworker as a roommate is an absolutely atrocious idea, I've never heard a supervisor tell a subordinate they couldn't do it.

 

If in doubt, ask HR. Not a lawyer, but it sounds like any punitive action resulting from you taking in the co-worker as a roommate would be incredibly illegal, though.

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Do you live in California by chance? Cali is very liberal with employee rights - meaning the big bad company can't stick their nose where it doesn't belong.

 

If you live in Cali, go for it. Literally no risk. Elsewhere I would say you're still fine, just be careful checking your employee contracts.

 

Yes, I'm in California....Thank you

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sorry for the detour around the main question, but this is your son's room you're renting out? so would the roommate have to leave when the son is with you...or..?

 

Oh my gosh, NO, LOL! My son has his own room and bathroom...This room that I have is in a totally different part of the house, basically it's own "unit". It's a waist of space when it could be a money maker

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No. Your boss is sticking their nose in what's none of their business.

 

If it ws actually stated in your contract, that would be one thing, but "illegal"? Your boss needs to focus on their work.

 

Yeah, unfortunately she's a VERY controlling person and she's just sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. She said this to my co-worker and not me because she knew I'd call BS on what she said where my co-worker is a little "naive" when it comes to these things.

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Never heard of that. Sounds ridiculous. However living with a coworker removes a lot of privacy and could get messy.

 

I agree, it sounds weird and crazy. We don't work in the same department and rarely see each other while at work. As far as the house, the room and bathroom are in another part of the house. I doubt I'd ever see her at home.

 

Thank you!

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While I think having a coworker as a roommate is an absolutely atrocious idea, I've never heard a supervisor tell a subordinate they couldn't do it.

 

If in doubt, ask HR. Not a lawyer, but it sounds like any punitive action resulting from you taking in the co-worker as a roommate would be incredibly illegal, though.

 

I'd normally totally agree with you about living with someone I work with. I noted above that I don't work directly with this gal, and the room and bathroom are in another part of the house, it's likely I'd rarely run into her though. I hear what you're saying though.

 

And honestly, for everyone....it was something I just kind of mentioned to my co-worker. Not really sure if it's something I really want to do, I may turn that space into an art studio for my art. But the fact that the supervisor overheard us, then pulled the co-worker aside and told her she wouldn't "allow" it pissed me off a bit.

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Maybe your stupid-visor is jealous you didnt offer her the space in your house to rent! This is probably one of the more ridiculous things I've heard lately. It's your house, rent it to the lady if you want to.

 

LOL! OMG, I'm dying..."stupid-visor". Honestly, I don't think she wants to rent my place (she's married with a child) but I do think she feels jealous in other ways...she doesn't like that people in the office get together and don't invite her (because she's a jerk TBH), and hang out after work. She probably thinks this co-worker and I would sit around every night drinking wine and talking about her which is far from the truth, LOL!

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I have lived in Cali all my life and I am the boss at work and there are no such laws or rules. In fact there are laws protecting you from an employer violating your privacy. Unless you have signed some off the wall contract at work you can rent out a room to whoever you want. Unless of course the company owns the house you live in or your supervisor owns it.

 

Next time don't talk in front of this woman.

 

Lost

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i lolled at "stupidvisor" too. i also have one of those and i think you're right, this type is dead-scared of real or perceived alliances. she is playing a movie in her mind where you two are jointly dragging her through the mud whilst popping corn and watching your shows.

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While I think it would maybe be a bad idea, I have zero idea how an employer can tell you it's illegal. Ask them what law or laws are being broken, but what's it to them? What laws?

 

Last time I checked the only way renting a house or room to someone would be illegal would be if it's not your house or room to rent in the first place and you did it without the owner's permission. But since you're the owner, your boss is being very irrational. Or maybe if the person you go to rent to is a sex-offender and you have children, but those are the only two times I can think of where renting to someone would be illegal. Otherwise I'm stumped and neither of those sounds like this is the case.

 

I just saw you live in California and I cry BS on your boss. I've rented plenty of rooms from people that owned houses, I lived in a neighborhood that was nothing, but big houses rented out to people and rooms rented to people. I've rented entire private houses from people. There are no laws I'm aware of that state you can't rent your own home to someone, but if you live within a city call your rent control board and ask them. Or find a new job with a less wackadoo boss, because there is something wrong with that person.

 

You can rent to the coworker, but be prepared for your boss to have a full-on meltdown and accuse you of harboring aliens from Mars or making stories up about you. They sound absolutely mental.

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Not illegal. I can see how it might be against policy if you're their supervisor but if you're on the same level it doesn't matter

 

I have lived with coworkers 3 different times (also in Cali). Those were more casual jobs but I currently work at a more professional office and two of my coworkers live together (and they're opposite sex). No one thinks anything of it and the boss couldn't care less.

 

Your boss can't control your personal life as much as they might like to.

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Or find a new job with a less wackadoo boss, because there is something wrong with that person.

 

They sound absolutely mental.

 

She's just a absolutely crazy control freak. As an example, she had a type of file folder I hadn't seen in the office. I asked her where those were kept and she said..."don't worry about it". LOL! I said "well, I'm not worried, I was just curious in case I'd like to use one".

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