Breach of confidentiality question?
mell242
Posts: 137 Forumite
Hi,
I have just met with my employer regarding a breach of confidentiality which they say I have made. I discussed with a partner company who have an interest in ours the new strategic plan. I was not told this was confidential. The document did not say so on it, nor the accompanying email.
I did not forward the whole document to them, just the information which affects myself via email.
What classes something as confidential? The next step is it going to HR for an investigation.
I don't think we have a confidentiality policy either.
I have just met with my employer regarding a breach of confidentiality which they say I have made. I discussed with a partner company who have an interest in ours the new strategic plan. I was not told this was confidential. The document did not say so on it, nor the accompanying email.
I did not forward the whole document to them, just the information which affects myself via email.
What classes something as confidential? The next step is it going to HR for an investigation.
I don't think we have a confidentiality policy either.
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Comments
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A strategic plan would be number one on the list of things that are confidential.
What does your employment contract say about divulging company information to people?0 -
Nothing! I was told that the plan had been discussed with those involved.0
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Hi,
I have just met with my employer regarding a breach of confidentiality which they say I have made. I discussed with a partner company who have an interest in ours the new strategic plan. I was not told this was confidential. The document did not say so on it, nor the accompanying email.
I did not forward the whole document to them, just the information which affects myself via email.
What classes something as confidential? The next step is it going to HR for an investigation.
I don't think we have a confidentiality policy either.
For what reason was it forwarded and how was it found out?
Do you have any IT policies, confidentiality policies, you must have something in your hand book or have been told not to forward anything to competitors surely? If not it is very very lax of your current company.Forty and fabulous, well that's what my cards say....0 -
Yes, they are very lax. It's not a large company. It was not a competitor it was a partner. I had a report written by this partner on my department, I was asked to check it, I said the strategic plan meant my department was being made redundant and this was written into their new report and passed onto my Manager. The partners are mentioned throughout the report. I was told discussions had been made with them to come to the decisions made in the plan.0
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I don't really understand your story. Why did you forward this information to a third party?
Arguing the toss over whether the document was confidential is unlikely to get you anywhere. A 'strategic plan' sounds confidential to me.
If you want to keep your job, I think you need to be explain why you thought it was appropriate to send the report to the partner; be willing to apologise; and be willing to discuss how similar incidents can be avoided in future.0 -
'sounds confidential' isn't concrete is it? sorry if I haven't made this totally clear.
I did not directly forward information. I referred to the plan - the plan being that my department was being made redundant in an email to our partners.
I thought this was appropriate as they are stakeholders in us and the report they had written was not up to date with information.
My query is, if information isn't clearly said that it is confidential then is it? the stakeholders would have been able to see the document in the next couple of weeks as it would appear on our website.
I have apologised already.0 -
Doesn't really matter whether it was marked confidential, did you have explicit permission to discuss the plan outside of your company?0
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No, but I told my husband...my friends..other colleagues told partners. The people I told are colleagues in a partner organisation.0
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You seem to have problems with resisting the chance for a good natter. Expect this to end badly.0
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Thank you for your helpful advice.0
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