California - Moved to a noisy area

[SherryCal]

I've been at a company for about a year now and sat in a relativlely quiet area. My position requires concentration to perform at a level to be productive and that has not been a problem. I have now been moved next to the company's copier machine and for obvious reasons this is a major distraction. I've alerted management and they acknowledge the noise but there has not been much movement on getting me out of there.

This is a move to centralize poeple, and while idealistic, it is not realistic in terms of providing a work environment conducive to productivity.

Is this a situation HR could do something about or will they most likely sit on their hands and not get involved?

[DAW]

No one here knows how your HR department (whom we have not meet) will react to a request. I can say unless the noise rises to the level of dangerous and not just obnoxious, no laws have been broken. You could maybe wear a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Or if allowed, headphones that play music. I have done both things at work when required. Not optimal, but there is no certain "button" that you can push that will make anyone in your company do what you want them to do. In fact, complaining could just get you fired (legally). You apparently have already talk to management, who has said apparently said no, and talking to HR could be seen (correctly) as you trying to go around an already made decision. Some managements take exception to such actions.

If the noise is such that an actual law is being broken, such as say OSHA, you would have a different issue, and different recourse, but that is not what I am reading here, so far anyhow.

[Betty3]

Since you have already talked to management, I would not make waves & go to HR
regarding noise from a copier machine.

We had that problem where I worked - it seemed someone was always next to the copier.

[cbg]

In most companies, determining where people sit is not an HR function. It is possible that your HR will get involved; it is also possible that they will "sit on their hands" (translation - not get involved in an issue that is none of their business). We have no way of knowing which your particular HR will do.

[Rb4E]

Noise -> productivity -> performance evaluation

If the noise and foot traffic are detrimental to productivity, does the poster have any recourse to defend against impact to performance evaluation?

[DAW]

Probably not. There is no legal right to either a performance evaluation or a review of a performance evaluation. There is no legal right to have an office away from the copier.

One more time, the employee should just get a noise canceling headset. Problem solved. Or they can keep complaining and risk getting (legally) fired. Problem also solved, sort of.

Some one has to sit next to copier. Someone has to sit next to the annoying co-worker who never shuts up. Moving this particular person simply passes exactly the same problem to someone else. BTDT. Sometimes when someone gives you lemons, you have to make lemonaid.

To quote Patty, "is this the hill that is worth dying on"? For me, the answer would be no. I would just get a noise canceling headset. Problem solved. I am not a big fan of getting in fights which I have no chance of winning.

[Betty3]

Agree. A lot of people have to put up with noise where they work even though it
might make it hard to concentrate.