### This is an inhumane rule, thus you are by an inhumane company. It doesn't matter, what is in their "handbooks". It is long bad that the HR thinks they are free to *dictate the off-workplace, human relation of the employee*. It is your decision, how do you deal with it. I can imagine such a wage, or life situation, for which I would tolerate it. But the main attitude is this: the company is inhumane and un-ethical, so if also you aren't very ethical with it, is not a big problem. At least, you are free to use their own evil rules against them. *Check that handbook, and find ways to attack back, while you hold a bridge to fly away.* Hopefully no HR co-worker will ever say you that you were "un-ethical" in any sense.