OH's boss disclosing personal medical information

lincroft1710

scd3scd4 wrote: »

Not at any decent company you won't.

No wonder you get these crappy two bob managers and bosses no one confronts them.

scd3scd4 wrote: »

I have work mates who will just go straight to HR and explain any sickness/appointments in confidence and the local boss has no idea. This works in a large, organised, ethical company.

There are plenty of not so decent or ethical employers out there as many threads on this board have demonstrated. Many small ones don't have HR.

How often has the advice on this board been "you can complain/raise grievance if you want but they will probably try to manage you out"

I'm all for standing up to poor management or perceived unfairness, but many won't because they can't afford to lose their job and have no union support and the employer hasn't done anything contrary to employment law.

Savvy_Sue

trailingspouse wrote: »

It's easier to assume that nothing is confidential in these circumstances.

I'd had to have a few days off very early in a pregnancy, due to morning sickness. I needed to explain to the boss (department head), but didn't yet want to tell everyone else - and made that clear to him.

Imagine my surprise when a couple of weeks later, at the staff Christmas party, the Regional Director's wife came bouncing up to me and congratulated me. In front of everyone.

That is SO annoying, isn't it?

And yet it CAN be done. I had a colleague who I suspected was having miscarriages, but she never said anything and nor did anyone else, although I suspect it was more than her manager who knew. Another colleague told me she'd recently had one, but she didn't tell everyone and no-one heard it from me. When I was off with my crocked shoulder - and that's hardly something to be embarrassed about - no-one seemed to know why I'd been off for so long when I got back!

No, if someone wants the whole staff team to know something, they have to announce it loud and clear in the staff kitchen or via email!!!

scd3scd4

lincroft1710 wrote: »

There are plenty of not so decent or ethical employers out there as many threads on this board have demonstrated. Many small ones don't have HR.

How often has the advice on this board been "you can complain/raise grievance if you want but they will probably try to manage you out"

I'm all for standing up to poor management or perceived unfairness, but many won't because they can't afford to lose their job and have no union support and the employer hasn't done anything contrary to employment law.

Well we all know exceptions to any rule but things don't change if people allow such things to happen. If you are going to allow someone divulging person/private information then you are in for a rough ride in other aspects. You set boundary's. Or do we all allow anything to keep our jobs?


I am giving my experience of course. I know it's different outside my own experience. That is taken as read. Doing nothing is just not something in my nature.

lincroft1710

scd3scd4 wrote: »

Well we all know exceptions to any rule but things don't change if people allow such things to happen. If you are going to allow someone divulging person/private information then you are in for a rough ride in other aspects. You set boundary's. Or do we all allow anything to keep our jobs?


I am giving my experience of course. I know its different outside my own experience. That is taken as read. Doing nothing is just not something in my natural.

You appear to have a very reasonable employer. I worked in the Civil Service in the good old days, with long holidays, good pension, but salary not so hot, generous sick pay and you had to be really, really inefficient or do something bad to be dismissed.

So we could both say something and be OK. But for a lot of people standing up for your rights does not put food on the table, clothes on your back, or pay rent/mortgage, so they have to be careful what they say. Employment law does not favour the employee

scd3scd4

lincroft1710 wrote: »

You appear to have a very reasonable employer. I worked in the Civil Service in the good old days, with long holidays, good pension, but salary not so hot, generous sick pay and you had to be really, really inefficient or do something bad to be dismissed.

So we could both say something and be OK. But for a lot of people standing up for your rights does not put food on the table, clothes on your back, or pay rent/mortgage, so they have to be careful what they say. Employment law does not favour the employee

Sounds like where my wife works. ;-]

I understand. It just gets me so angry and annoyed that these people have any control over others lifes.

lincroft1710

scd3scd4 wrote: »

It just gets me so angry and annoyed that these people have any control over others lifes.

Throughout history peoples' lives have usually been under someone else's control.

scd3scd4

lincroft1710 wrote: »

Throughout history peoples' lives have usually been under someone else's control.

That's not enough a reason for me or my family.

Manxman_in_exile

Sorry to interrupt - but why did the OP's wife tell her manager the purpose of the medical tests?


Did the manager ask or even demand for the reason?

lincroft1710

scd3scd4 wrote: »

That's not enough a reason for me or my family.

I didn't say it was, it was just a statement of fact.

Savvy_Sue

I spoke too soon about the high levels of discretion where I work.

There was a group of us getting our lunches together in the kitchen, one manager walked in and said that a colleague in her team was in hospital, having tests for something which fortunately isn't terribly intimate, but still none of MY business! She was telling my manager, and the rest of us just happened to be there.