Manager asking for my password when I am off

Penguin_

Pretty much as above really, due to take a couple of days off from work (in a role I have been employed in for 5 years) & my manager has asked for my password for my computer "in case anything comes up".

Do I have to give them this? obviously I know then can get IT to re-set it etc but do I have to say yes?

marcia_

Penguin_ said:

Pretty much as above really, due to take a couple of days off from work (in a role I have been employed in for 5 years) & my manager has asked for my password for my computer "in case anything comes up".

Do I have to give them this? obviously I know then can get IT to re-set it etc but do I have to say yes?

 Yes you do, its not your personal computer it belongs to your employer as does any information saved to it. As you say he could access it anyway with help from IT 

vacheron

I would look in your company IT policy and see what it says as it is their equipment and the password is for their protection, not yours.

If it states something like "do not reveal your password to anyone" then politely explain that you are concerned that you could get in trouble for doing so, especially as this could be deemed as gross misconduct by some companies.

If your manager asks IT to reset your password while you are away, there will be a record of this request so if something "unusual" or "unauthorised" occurred from your profile while you were away you would be beyond any suspicion as you would not know the new password until you returned.

Penguin_

marcia_ said:

Penguin_ said:

Pretty much as above really, due to take a couple of days off from work (in a role I have been employed in for 5 years) & my manager has asked for my password for my computer "in case anything comes up".

Do I have to give them this? obviously I know then can get IT to re-set it etc but do I have to say yes?

 Yes you do, its not your personal computer it belongs to your employer as does any information saved to it. As you say he could access it anyway with help from IT 

Thanks - although not great to assume my manager is a man, which in this case she isn't.

XzavierWalnut

In the jobs I have had, you could be disciplined for giving anyone your password, including your manager.

Emmia

XzavierWalnut said:

In the jobs I have had, you could be disciplined for giving anyone your password, including your manager.

Same for me.

OP if your manager wants to access anything on your computer/associated with your work account while you're away, then they should ask IT.

I would politely decline to share my password.

Emmia

marcia_ said:

Penguin_ said:

Pretty much as above really, due to take a couple of days off from work (in a role I have been employed in for 5 years) & my manager has asked for my password for my computer "in case anything comes up".

Do I have to give them this? obviously I know then can get IT to re-set it etc but do I have to say yes?

 Yes you do, its not your personal computer it belongs to your employer as does any information saved to it. As you say he could access it anyway with help from IT 

I really wouldn't do this, if they really need access for business critical reasons (the OP will only be away for a couple of days) they can ask IT. 

Really all the OPs work should be saved on a central file system, so there should be no need to ask for the password - the manager will be able to see everything business critical or not with their own log in.

Flugelhorn

they should have some central server with personal logins 

itsthelittlethings

I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving someone your password, ask IT and say you’ve been asked to do this, what do they say?

lisyloo

In my job that would be gross negligence. We have security documents we need to sign.
mostly we don’t object to people calling us in an urgent situation although I’d always have my phone off in a funeral, intensive care or end of life situation.

J63320

If you do decide to say Yes, make sure you have your manager’s request in writing (and if it’s on your computer, print it out and keep it).