You Break It, You Pay For It

You break it….You pay for it

You see the sign at the airport gift shop or other stores selling trinkets.

Well it appears the same sign is hanging in the newsroom at Nexstar’s WCIA in Champaign, Illinois.

The station sent out a memo and a form to sign that tells them if they break some of the station’s equipment, they will be asked to pay for it.

FTVLive obtained the internal memo sent to the staff about the new policy that is “effective immediately”:

The staff was then sent this form to sign and return basically saying that they agree to this new rule:

Of course, this seems like a slippery slope. Who decides that the gear was broken do to neglect and not just wear and tear or a simple accident?

Does the employee have anyway to appeal the fine before breaking out their checkbook?

If a Reporter is out with a Photographer on a story, will the Reporter refuse to help carry any gear due to the fact they don’t want to be responsible for if it breaks?

I see a number of problems with a policy like this.

Also, if I was an employee of the station, I would think long and hard before I signed such a form.

What’s the punishment if you don’t sign? Can they fire you?

So many questions.