Email access query

Scrumptious

Deleted as received helpful advice.
Thanks.

Mikros

I'd chill out a bit - your guilty mind might be making you a little paranoid! You were given access to the email account, if you are queried on what emails you were reading you were simply scanning the content to make sure they weren't relevant. A subject line doesn't necessarily give you enough information to determine the content. Assuming your team leader was aware you were accessing the email account and authorised it beforehand I wouldn't worry myself.

Is there any reason you think the issue will be brought up? Did you query when the access was removed? It would be very unprofessional to reprimand someone in front of the rest of the team without first discussing it with the person. I wouldn't be apologising for anything myself, nor would I be secretly recording meetings.

kennM

Mikros wrote: »

I'd chill out a bit - your guilty mind might be making you a little paranoid! You were given access to the email account, if you are queried on what emails you were reading you were simply scanning the content to make sure they weren't relevant. A subject line doesn't necessarily give you enough information to determine the content. Assuming your team leader was aware you were accessing the email account and authorised it beforehand I wouldn't worry myself.

Is there any reason you think the issue will be brought up? Did you query when the access was removed? It would be very unprofessional to reprimand someone in front of the rest of the team without first discussing it with the person. I wouldn't be apologising for anything myself, nor would I be secretly recording meetings.

I'd second whats said here... not sure how detailed the logs would be around access. You were given access while your team lead was on holidays, it was taken away when they came back. Chances are you wouldn't be normally notified of access being removed.... no biggie.

If they raise it at team meeting ask that you take it off line with your team lead and discuss it 1 to 1.

I doubt you have anything to worry about. Naturally don't display knowledge that you shouldn't know about

Scrumptious

Deleted.
Thanks again

kilp10

I'm not sure there's too much they can really say. After all, they are the ones who gave you access to this email account (which to be honest, I wouldn't be in favour of anyway!). To most companies, that would be a security breach straight off on their process.

Ok, so you may have been nosy but did you use the information for any malicious dealings? I'm guessing not.

What rules did they have in place for what emails you open and what you don't? Did you mark them as unread again? Did you discuss or gossip about their content to anyone?

My approach if faced with it would be (1 to 1 not in a group):
a) request why your access was removed and others wasn't.
b) if they indicated that it was for discretionary measures, then I would push the conversation myself.
c) On the basis, they provided you with access, no ground rules as to what to open and what not in terms of subject titles
d) Apologise profusely for opening emails that shouldn't have been. I would also be upfront and say that you're actually not comfortable with this practise if there are confidential emails coming into that inbox as well as work ones you do need to look at.
e) Suggest they open up a separate group email account and that should be used as the contact email for the work instead of people's individual emails.

To be honest, if people are going to open up access of their email to others like that and have HR issues/ personal emails coming in to it, then they ask for this kind of trouble. It's a ridiculous way to operate a business and not secure at all.

Yes, you may have overstepped it, but the employer's work practices are really at fault here in my opinion.

janeparker

No need to tense more ! But in upcoming days, you should avoid such kind of activities.

Scrumptious

Deleted

kennM

Scrumptious wrote: »

The meeting was cancelled this afternoon as a couple of the other team members were off sick and now with leave and meetings I'd say it will be a few more weeks before rescheduling. Of course I could be called in for a one to one at any time.

At this point I will just have to ensure I am on my best ethical behaviour and hope when the do bring it up, as it will no doubt come up at some stage - maybe annual review or something - that I have 'worked off' my stupid indiscretion. I didn't use what I read for anything or repeat any info to colleagues it was all very bland info but obviously not for my eyes and means I will not be trusted, for some time at least

I think you're getting worried over nothing... there is no proof or indication that they're aware that you've looked at things you shouldn't have. And even if they had there is no proof you read it..... ah I'd forget about it and plead the fifth. If the team lead has the time to spend looking into email accesses while they were out they have too much free time!

No Pants

I agree with the above posters. What exactly are you guilty of?

1. You were given additional email access to manage emails.
2. You managed emails.
3. They took away the email access.
4. You can no longer manage the emails.

hullaballoo

I agree with the others that you haven't done anything wrong. There are ways and means to set up limited permissions on an account so that you could only access certain emails, e.g. from certain senders or groups etc.

If there was anything you weren't supposed to see, they wouldn't have given you access and if they did, it's on their head.

The only word of warning is that if anyone sees this thread, they could use it against you because you've shown that you feel guilty. "If you did nothing wrong, why do you feel guilty?" is the question I'd be expecting. Point out to them that wrongdoing and feeling guilty are not the same thing.

Most criminals feel entitlement rather than guilt and most people who have strong guilty feelings don't do much wrong.