Someone elses emails

scheming_gypsy

Mischa8 wrote: »

Why shouldn't she look in the sent box if she is checking a phone message has been passed on etc?! If someone had asked when she was coverig about a message, surely sent folder is place to look. IF the nasty emails were in a personal separate email folder which was then acesseed then yes, this is nasty/against HR/IT rules etc. by this I mean WORK RELATED. not office gossip and nastiness emails.

Yes, you look in the sent items but you don't read through emails if you're looking for something. Once you can see it's a personal email you don't carry on reading if you're looking for a work related email.
Plus the subject line would / should be enough to find the mail.

I am sort of thinking b*tchy/nasty emails between collagues should not really be in the general sent emails box and/or if person sending them should be aware they may well be seen by the temp cover for receptionist (in this case OP). so I think temp receptionist as someone else said here is a bit dim for leaving nasty emails to another colleague in her sent emails folder. she should cover her tracks if she wants to be so nasty.

no, because you're still entitled to privacy in the work place and people shouldn't be looking through emails.

Oh - also - receptionist should be well aware that when she asks another colleague to cover for her (who she's been nasty about with another colleage) that emails both internal/external CAN BE accessed (unless she leaves PC locked with passwords), so it really leaves receptionist wide open to being found out re emails whether it's seen as snooping or not.

which is irrelevant to anything.

Mischa8

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Yes, you look in the sent items but you don't read through emails if you're looking for something. Once you can see it's a personal email you don't carry on reading if you're looking for a work related email.
Plus the subject line would / should be enough to find the mail.

BUT, suppose it isn't clear if it's a work related email or not? Playing devil's advocate here a bit. These nasty emails could easily have had an misleading title eg a *work* header relating to work/telphone messages etc but could easily have been b*tchy about OP.

no, because you're still entitled to privacy in the work place and people shouldn't be looking through emails.

which is irrelevant to anything.

Why is that irrelevant to anything?! I leave my PC when unattended locked with a password, so I know that no-one can access my emails etc. My colleagues (I know for a fact my boss and colleague) DO NOT do this. I don't know why they don't password protect their PCs and occasionally I have (for work reasons) had to access their PCs (yes for work relatated emails!) but I don't snoop. But really anyone wanting to hide stuff should password protect it as that does the job.

scheming_gypsy

when you start reading the emails you'd know if they were work related or not; plus she also discovered that both of the other girls had cheated on their boyfriends, so unless there was just one email that read "Redsoleshoes is a stupid bint with crap clothes and isn't it great cheating on our boyfriends' then it's fairly clear it wasn't due to a misleading title.

It's irrelevant because it wasn't the OP's email to read. unless it's acceptable to read somebody's diary if it isn't locked away.

RedSoleShoes

Mischa8 wrote: »

Why is that irrelevant to anything?! I leave my PC when unattended locked with a password, so I know that no-one can access my emails etc. My colleagues (I know for a fact my boss and colleague) DO NOT do this. I don't know why they don't password protect their PCs and occasionally I have (for work reasons) had to access their PCs (yes for work relatated emails!) but I don't snoop. But really anyone wanting to hide stuff should password protect it as that does the job.

I agree. I have now seen our IT policy and there is nothing about 'reading' other peoples emails. In fact, as this temp covers reception and I was covering her at the time, it would be seen as necessary for me to have access to the emails on reception.

This girl is a temp and basically a filing clerk so does not have any confidential/sensitve work info being sent to her so, in this respect, the company would not be that fussed about her emails being open.

I totally agree that I was 'morally' wrong to look at her sent emails but that is where my wrongdoing ends in the companies eyes. She is the one (and the other girl) who has breached the policy by 1.sending personal emails, and 2.'bullying' another staff member in these emails.

Like I said though, I will not be taking it further as I feel they are suffering much more now by the unknown of how much I saw. If I really wanted to get them back, I would be informing their partners of what they are getting up to in the stationary cupboard!! I suspect that is the biggest concern to them right now :eek:

RedSoleShoes

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

It's irrelevant because it wasn't the OP's email to read. unless it's acceptable to read somebody's diary if it isn't locked away.

1. Reading colleague's work emails = sometimes necessary
2. Reading colleague's personal work emails = morally wrong
3. Going through colleague's private mobile = absolutely wrong
4. Going through colleague's handbag/pockets = absolutely wrong/illegal

It's interesting some of the things posters are choosing to compare the first two points with. Points 1 and 2 are in no way comparable to 3 and 4.

scheming_gypsy

ah but it is.. it's personal / private email at work. Even IT aren't allowed to read private emails without just cause (trust me, i work in IT and have seen more than enough policies).
There are laws and rules on privacy at work to protect the employee, which is why it's being compared to bags, mobiles and diaries etc. It's the 'private' aspect of it
handbag, mobile phone, diary = private
work emails that are clearly of a personal nature = private

I know how tempting it is to do it and have done it in the past myself (work in IT, girlfriend worked at the same place, something wasn't right etc etc) BUT it really isn't allowed, As soon as you know it's personal / private it becomes an invasion of privacy and as stupid as it sounds, it breeches article 8 of the human rights act.

I'll try and find the case for you.

scheming_gypsy

That's the one http://plc.practicallaw.com/1-369-8081 although it's regarding her employers monitoring her, the concept is still the same - privacy at work

RedSoleShoes

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

That's the one http://plc.practicallaw.com/1-369-8081 although it's regarding her employers monitoring her, the concept is still the same - privacy at work

But surely an employer monitoring and spying on an employee is different to one colleague coming across another colleagues emails and discovering they are making nasty, unnecessary and b1tchy comments about them?!

Sam_Wonne

RedSoleShoes wrote: »

But surely an employer monitoring and spying on an employee is different to one colleague coming across another colleagues emails and discovering they are making nasty, unnecessary and b1tchy comments about them?!

Unfortunately not. Mad and unfair as it may seem to you she has her right to privacy.

skintandscared_2

Why would you NEED to read a temp's emails to a work colleague?

Snoopers get what they deserve.