my mail was opened by someone else at work advice needed

x_raphael_xx

My contract at my workplace states that any mail sent there, regardless of who it is addressed to, will be opened.

Why would you get personal mail sent to work anyway?

lilac_lady

In some companies "Private & Confidential" is not enough to stop a letter being opened by someone else in the business. The letter should have been addressed "Personal Addressee Only" to ensure that it wasn't opened by anyone other than yourself.

custardy

Charis wrote: »

Not quite true: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-462606/Royal-Mail-set-sell-lost-post-items-Ebay--pocket-profits.html

those are items that cannot be delivered due to incomplete/missing addresses and no return address on or in the packages
so nobody would be returning the item
the RLB office makes no profit thats for sure,costs a fortune to run

geordie_joe

Originally Posted by geordie joe
If you get a letter through your door addressed to someone else, say a previous occupant of your house, try taking it back to the post office or your local sorting office. They will not have the lightest interest in it.

Charis wrote: »

Not quite true: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-462606/Royal-Mail-set-sell-lost-post-items-Ebay--pocket-profits.html

I'm talking about letters not packages containing valuable items. The two things are quite different.

EDIT: After reading the article again it appears they are only selling items they are stuck with because they could not be delivered. This is not the same as accepting back items that have been wrongly delivered.

custardy

geordie_joe wrote: »

I'm talking about letters not packages containing valuable items. The two things are quite different.

EDIT: After reading the article again it appears they are only selling items they are stuck with because they could not be delivered. This is not the same as accepting back items that have been wrongly delivered.

to give you an example
ive had a passport returned to me via SD 3 times
its a visa application to the chinese embassy who will not accept postal applications anymore
RLB cant find a return address bar the incomplete one on the packaging
so its bounced around until at some point they decide to destroy it

olly300

The law is in the Postal Services Act 2000

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/ukpga_20000026_en_8#pt5-pb1-l1g84

84 Interfering with the mail: general

(1) A person commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, he—
(a) intentionally delays or opens a postal packet in the course of its transmission by post, or
(b) intentionally opens a mail-bag.
(2) Subsections (2) to (5) of section 83 apply to subsection (1) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.
(3) A person commits an offence if, intending to act to a person’s detriment and without reasonable excuse, he opens a postal packet which he knows or reasonably suspects has been incorrectly delivered to him.
(4) Subsections (2) and (3) of section 83 (so far as they relate to the opening of postal packets) apply to subsection (3) above as they apply to subsection (1) of that section.
(5) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (3) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both.

As long as no malice is intended then nothing can be done.

In addition the contract between an employer and employee is one of implied trust.
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/contracts_of_employment.htm

So if there is a problem of malice on either side then there is obviously one of distrust. Then your employer could seek to terminate your employment.

So I suggest OP you don't make a fuss about it.

Also if the incident was a H&S matter then the company would want to know what the issue is. Some employers actually do take H&S issues seriously even though there seem to be many who pay lip service to it.

debralee_2

I'm a secretary and I open the post for everyone in my department regardless of whether it says Private and Confidential or Addressee Only. I don't read the post, I don't care what it says and so far noone has complained.

Debt_Free_Chick

Mail sent to a company is the company's property, even if it's addressed to an individual. Anyone can open it, subject to whatever internal rules the company has.

Post addressed from someone off sick should ALWAYS be opened, in case it needs to be actioned. Imagine if it were a CCJ for an unpaid bill; some other letter regarding legal action; a customer complaint; a £1m order ...... ?

For this reason you should NEVER have personal mail sent to you at work - never, unless of course you're prepared for it to be opened, legitimately.

In addition to sending their findings to you, I'm 99.9% certain that the HSE would also send their findings or even an identical letter to your employer, so they would get the same information, anyway.

SandC

Agree wholeheartedly with the above. I thought it was standard that company mail is the property of the company and not the individual. Different businesses have different rules about it, but certainly if someone is off sick that is even more reason to open mail addressed to them.

I open the mail for my boss and can open anything that comes in, whether that says private and confidential, addressee only or whatever.

Many companies state in their employee handbook that personal mail shouldn't be sent to work but if it is it may be opened.

icedfusion

pulling this post up from the depths...but it is what came up when I was doing a bit of searching so may come in useful for others who search for it also.

Alot of prior posts state that 'work' can open your mail. This is incorrect, if your contract states that work can open your mail, then it is not enforcible as a work contract cannot over ride the law - however, if the contract states 'you hereby give your permission to allow <employer> to open your mail' then that is different as it is not a 'we will open your mail'

See the law here on post:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/26/part/V
(you want section 84).

Be warned though, 'cos as soon as you strut your stuff into an office and sling this on the desk of HR/Boss whoever you are asking for a fight!