Breach of Confidentiality by employer

RagingBull66

Hi All
I need some advice in regard to my employer. I am currently going through the process of an investigation at work for gross misconduct and so far everything seemed well, however, I have just had a call from a work colleague to advise me that he had tried contacting one of senior managers (who is conducting the investigation) on her mobile phone and the call went through but she did not answer it. My colleague assumed that she had left him on hold and he went on to heard a very lengthy conversation she was having with my director about me with all details of the investigation and their thoughts. I’m not happy with this as now I feel all trust is lost as a third party is now privileged to details of the allegation and investigation. I was and have been reminded throughout not to discuss the investigation with anyone as by doing so, I would be in breach of confidentiality and it would lead to disciplinary. Any advice please?

KatrinaWaves

Sounds like your colleague deliberately kept listening to a conversation he knew he was not privy to. Is he going to go on record about that?

k3lvc

Personally I'd be concentrating on defending my position against the Gross Misconduct charge (assuming what you did is defensible). If you win/retain your job then you decide whether you want to keep your head down or challenge the Managers behaviour. If you lose then you raise it as a complaint but recognise that it won't change anything for you.

Given how the grapevine works in most workplaces how bad is it that your colleague knows ? Or are you just out for a loophole/vidication ?

Comms69

My advice remains the same as my initial reply. Hopefully your colleague gets sacked for this. 

No-one else has acted inappropriately

Penguin_

She didn't answer the call though??

KatrinaWaves

Penguin_ said:

She didn't answer the call though??

I can only imaging she flubbed hanging up and answered but didnt realise so the call was just there.
But the colleague continuing to eavesdrop is the issue...

dinglebert

You managers are perfectly entitled to be discussing your case.  In fact thats exactly what they should be doing.  Your colleague is the one in trouble both for listening but also for informing you.

Dakta

Considering that discussion about your case at manager level doesn't sound unreasonable what interests me is the manner in which you came to be aware of this.
I'm presuming the person who made the call has approached you, but in what angle? i.e
'what they said was inappropriate'
'i realised it was a conversation i shouldn't be listening to and....'

It just seems a bit odd, because taken at face value it sounds like the person who listened in is trying to get themselves into trouble, which doesn't make a lot of sense.

indigoblue11

I would question if this actually happened the fact that this person has contacted you during and investigation makes me question their motive in doing so, you may class them as a work friend but in my experience the people you work with are not your friends. Whilst I would be equally as enraged! Ignore that for now just concentrate your efforts on defending your position and work out plan B in case the worst is to happen.