Process Serving in the Workplace — Your Questions Answered

Most people want to keep their personal and professional lives separate. This is especially true when it involves bringing any legal trouble into the workplace.

However, because defendants and witnesses can be difficult to pin down at home for a variety of reasons, sometimes process servers have to resort to delivering legal papers in the workplace.

Some defendants and witnesses argue that they can’t be served while at work but, in reality, there are very few situations where you would be unable to serve legal documents in an office or business setting. 

Here’s what you need to know about service of process to defendants and witnesses at work:

Why Would a Process Server Deliver at a Workplace?

Individuals, especially those attempting to elude being served with a lawsuit, can be very adept at avoiding a process server’s attempts to contact them at home.

They may conveniently be “out” every time a process server comes knocking, or their actual home address isn’t accessible to the process server. In cases where the process server can track down where the individual works, however, they may resort to delivering legal papers during the work day.

In most cases, though, process servers will exhaust every avenue available to deliver the papers outside the workplace.

How Will They Deliver the Documents?

It may seem that the workplace is an inappropriate place to deliver legal documentation, but it is perfectly lawful in most cases. 

Keep in mind that process servers build their careers around respect and discretion. They are not looking to expose and humiliate you, so don’t worry about them blaring your personal business to all your coworkers.

If you have a front desk person, for example, the server will likely explain they have a delivery for you and ask that you either come to the lobby or be shown to your office. They do not need to provide any more information than this. Oftentimes, your coworkers will not even notice the process server. 

Can an Employer Stop a Process Server? 

While process service in the workplace is lawful, it is not always ideal. This is especially true if you work a job which requires certain processes for leaving and entering the building, or a job which requires extreme security, for example.

In these cases, your employer has the right to deny the process server. The employer may feel as though it will distract from the work that needs to be done that day, or they wish to protect your privacy. 

Some highly dangerous job sites also may deny a process server access, as their presence poses a health and safety risk to the server and employees.

The process server may work out an arrangement with the employer to come back at a different time, or to serve the papers at the end of the work day. Or, they may have to track the person down off company grounds entirely.

Professional Process Serving in the U.S. & Abroad

Here at Torri’s Legal Services, we provide fast and efficient process serving across the country and internationally. Our experienced team has built a reputation for accurate, discreet, and timely document delivery. Call today for more information!