Help... left my terminal unlocked at work...

Rebchappers

Well firstly, thank you all so very much for your replies and comments. We had the meeting today, and it was agreed that the comments made in the emails were no more than that - comments. To be honest, the meeting was a bit of a farce.... I apologised that this whole farce had upset my colleague, but didnt apologise for writing the emails. However, on the other hand, my colleague didnt apologise at all.... i had to make her apologise for snooping, which she did begrudgingly (sp?). This meeting was between myself, my colleague, our boss and the HR manager and not once did anyone bring up the fact that she admitted to snooping through my emails - or anything done about it.

I am so glad that this is all over, but i still feel like my colleague has come out as 'the victim'... as she was the one that was supposed to have been upset by it all. And the fact that NOTHING is being done about her unlawful access to my terminal is really getting me down. This has caused me so much stress the last couple of days - i cant face taking my complaint against her any further, but i just dont feel its right that she comes out smellling of roses, as it were.

WaveyDave_2

Rebchappers wrote: »

Well firstly, thank you all so very much for your replies and comments. We had the meeting today, and it was agreed that the comments made in the emails were no more than that - comments. To be honest, the meeting was a bit of a farce.... I apologised that this whole farce had upset my colleague, but didnt apologise for writing the emails. However, on the other hand, my colleague didnt apologise at all.... i had to make her apologise for snooping, which she did begrudgingly (sp?). This meeting was between myself, my colleague, our boss and the HR manager and not once did anyone bring up the fact that she admitted to snooping through my emails - or anything done about it.

I am so glad that this is all over, but i still feel like my colleague has come out as 'the victim'... as she was the one that was supposed to have been upset by it all. And the fact that NOTHING is being done about her unlawful access to my terminal is really getting me down. This has caused me so much stress the last couple of days - i cant face taking my complaint against her any further, but i just dont feel its right that she comes out smellling of roses, as it were.

Its funny that work is one of the places the causes most trouble in our lives! To be honest, I would just put it down to experience, make sure you don't leave your terminal unlocked again, and keep a wide berth of your colleague (I don't think she's done herself any favours in this episode, and if your manager has any awareness, he'll know about her). As infuriating as it might have been, it could have been worse. Sometimes its just not worth rocking the boat!

Zazen999

Reb; they won't follow it up because you haven't put any grievance in. They probably just want to forget it.

Rest assured, I suspect her card is marked.

BitterAndTwisted

Rebchappers wrote: »

I am so glad that this is all over, but i still feel like my colleague has come out as 'the victim'... as she was the one that was supposed to have been upset by it all. And the fact that NOTHING is being done about her unlawful access to my terminal is really getting me down. This has caused me so much stress the last couple of days - i cant face taking my complaint against her any further, but i just dont feel its right that she comes out smellling of roses, as it were.

Just because you don't know about it does NOT mean that nothing is being done about your colleague's underhand snooping and lying. You can be quite confident that her card has surely been marked. It's highly likely that she's received a verbal warning over this.

Pete111

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Just because you don't know about it does NOT mean that nothing is being done about your colleague's underhand snooping and lying. You can be quite confident that her card has surely been marked. It's highly likely that she's received a verbal warning over this.

Glad it went ok.

If had to be in either of your shoes OP I would definately want to be in yours - the other party has made herself look stupid, pigheaded, overreactive and untrustworthy in one fell swoop. I doubt your manager will be awarding her employee of the month...

Unfortunately, in the short term at least, you still have to work with her! Out of interest, what are your co-workers views of her behaviour I assume they know about this whole thing?

Finally as others have mentioned you could actually raise a grievance here. Not sure I would though - maybe best to move on.

P

ceridwen

Rebchappers wrote: »

Well firstly, thank you all so very much for your replies and comments. We had the meeting today, and it was agreed that the comments made in the emails were no more than that - comments. To be honest, the meeting was a bit of a farce.... I apologised that this whole farce had upset my colleague, but didnt apologise for writing the emails. However, on the other hand, my colleague didnt apologise at all.... i had to make her apologise for snooping, which she did begrudgingly (sp?). This meeting was between myself, my colleague, our boss and the HR manager and not once did anyone bring up the fact that she admitted to snooping through my emails - or anything done about it.

I am so glad that this is all over, but i still feel like my colleague has come out as 'the victim'... as she was the one that was supposed to have been upset by it all. And the fact that NOTHING is being done about her unlawful access to my terminal is really getting me down. This has caused me so much stress the last couple of days - i cant face taking my complaint against her any further, but i just dont feel its right that she comes out smellling of roses, as it were.

But she wont!!!!!! - ie come out "smelling of roses" - not by the time the office grapevine has told the truth about exactly what happened - ie she was snooping like crazy. People will make their own judgements about someone who snoops to that extent - and it WONT be favourable...:D

Dont forget - you may have been/okay - were - naive. She, on the other hand was stupid. I know which position I would rather be in right now - ie the one of having been a bit naive (been there/done that/got the teeshirt).

timmmers

Good to see that common sense prevailed.
Put it behind you now, this woman caused to much hassle for youa aready.

Wait until the Xmas party and give her a slap You get away with anything at those things.

t

COOKIES

The whole reason we each have log ons at our workplaces is so that other people cannot use our workstations without our authority. the fact that this colleague did use your workstation using whilst you were still logged on surely breached some sort of policy, and i dont think it would be taken lightly, how stupid would they sound saying "i'm being bullied at work" and how do you figure that one? "i searched my colleagues email outbox for evidence" errr....Ok! i think disciplinary is imminent for both of you to be honest!

pimento

Anihilator wrote: »

1824 personal emails over what period :rolleyes:

The OP said 'sent' emails, not 'personal sent emails'. They could in fact be mostly work related. I must send a couple of hundred emails a day, 99% work related.

It's against out Network Acceptable Use Policy to read someone else's emails and if I did it I wold expect to be carpeted.

They say that snoopers hear/read no good of themselves and it's true.

Indo77

Anihilator wrote: »

1824 personal emails over what period :rolleyes:
And doing it by email and not to their face or not using their name is no defence if its obvious who you were referring too. And obviously your colleague views it as bullying. I do too.

Be apologetic and hope for the best. Dismissal imo could still be justified.

It looks like the OP was not seen as bullying nor were they facing dismassal so I guess your opinion went up in smoke.