My boss has revealed personal information about me.

pedanticpat · 25-11-2013 04:25PM #1

Hello.

I've disclosed personal information to my boss in a private, formal meeting that I made clear that I didn't want it to leave the room. Through a couple of sources, I've heard that not only has this information been shared amongst management, but also has been given to people outside of the workplace via a member of the management team. This information has come back to me via a colleague who didn't know the information, as I like to keep my private life separate from my work life.

What should I do? Approach him? Approach the manager who has almost certainly revealed this information to someone outside my work? (who is linked to several people I work with) Or just leave it?

Legal advice is welcome, of course. Surely he's obliged to keep such information to himself if I explicitly say that it's confidential?

Gran Hermano · 25-11-2013 04:26PM

Time for a beard?

KTRIC · 25-11-2013 04:28PM

Is it about you being gay ?

Ooops, said too much

pedanticpat · 25-11-2013 04:28PM

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Time for a beard?

No, I'm not gay. Thanks for asking though

hedgehog2 · 25-11-2013 04:28PM

HR straight away mate,that is unacceptable behavior on his part.
You told him in confidence effectively your team leader and he blabbed personal info,he needs to be taken to task on this but best go the direct route to HR,this is their role and don`t let them sweep it away without a fuss.

professore · 25-11-2013 04:28PM

Your word against his. You can't even prove he was the source of the info.

Gran Hermano · 25-11-2013 04:28PM

Pregnant?

bishopmuzorewa · 25-11-2013 04:29PM

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Time for a beard?

:rolleyes:

professore · 25-11-2013 04:30PM

hedgehog2 wrote: »

HR straight away mate,that is unacceptable behavior on his part.
You told him in confidence effectively your team leader and he blabbed personal info,he needs to be taken to task on this but best go the direct route to HR,this is their role and don`t let them sweep it away without a fuss.

HR are only there for petty issues between lower staff echelons. They won't step on a boss's toes.

Shankly Gates · 25-11-2013 04:30PM

Oh :eek: so you're THAT pedanticpat

Iano_128 · 25-11-2013 04:30PM

You're registered here since 2008, surely you know this is not the right place for good advice? Try Work Problems.

MidlandsM · 25-11-2013 04:30PM

Herpes flaired up again?

ahnowbrowncow · 25-11-2013 04:30PM

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Time for a beard?

That's your solution for everything?

drkpower · 25-11-2013 04:31PM

Much depends on the nature of the information and the reason for your manager disclosing it ( if he did). There are some genuine reasons for disclosing.

If you can share the type of info and context it might help.

pedanticpat · 25-11-2013 04:31PM

Iano_128 wrote: »

You're registered here since 2008, surely you know this is not the right place for good advice? Try Work Problems.

This seems like the most busy place on here. I can wade through the **** to find some good advice.

Nolimits · 25-11-2013 04:32PM

You should tell us this private information so we can gauge the appropriate reaction.

Don't worry, we won't judge you..........much:)

humanji · 25-11-2013 04:32PM

Just to note, legal advice IS NOT welcome here and can't be given out on this site at all.

Knex* · 25-11-2013 04:37PM

You might want this moved to Personal Issues, OP.

Specialun · 25-11-2013 04:37PM

Hi Pat

Have you considered having a lunch party on a sunday to brainstorm next action?

Mahogany Gaspipe · 25-11-2013 04:39PM

+1 for beard.

Face transplant if its really saucy.

Iano_128 · 25-11-2013 04:41PM

pedanticpat wrote: »

This seems like the most busy place on here. I can wade through the **** to find some good advice.

Good luck with that :rolleyes:

kneemos · 25-11-2013 04:48PM

Go berserk on his ass.

General General · 25-11-2013 04:48PM

Next time tell him something that's patently false about you & sue him for defamation.

mattjack · 25-11-2013 04:53PM

humanji wrote: »

Just to note, legal advice IS NOT welcome here and can't be given out on this site at all.

Quite correct mr Mod , sir.

OP generally to get around giving out medical advice , I assume the part of a vet , legal advice is a bit more tricky so I assume the role of a doctor baker .

Anyway OP you need to up your game here .... possibly consider identifying your boss , employer and the nature of your employment and let us do the rest.

Menas · 25-11-2013 04:54PM

Most companies have a grievance policy that starts with the HR department so that must be your first port of call.
If his breach of confidentiality is so severe as to eventually make your life at the company untenable and you pursue a constructive dismissal case then your having followed the companies grievance policy and their reaction to that will be key. Not legal advice, just common sense.

Bottom line is that this is a breach of trust and the best you can hope for is a meeting with HR and your boss where he apologies to you. How the relationship with you and your boss bears up after that could be tricky though.
Or you could just go to him direct and open a can of whup ass on him to let him know how upset you are.

Kilgore__Trout · 25-11-2013 04:54PM

It's pretty bad form to be honest. Perhaps in some situations, it might be beneficial for colleagues to know if something is bothering you on a personal level, so they can give you a bit of slack etc.

Guess you should try to figure out your manager's intent in revealing this information. Maybe (s)he told one person who you deal with (just so they don't say something dumb, or give you a but of slack), and that one person blabbed it. In any case, you did ask for it to be kept confidential, and that should be respected. Would also consider how it would affect your work environment etc, if you do go to HR.

If you do decide to go to HR, might be good to have dates and what was said written down. Not sure I would reveal you've been keeping the specifics on your first visit to HR, but this information would be useful if the situation comes to a head.

pedanticpat · 25-11-2013 04:58PM

There's no HR dept. The closest person to HR in the place is the source of the outside leak (the manager who the boss told who then revealed it to someone else). I'm considering approaching him about it, but not sure what I'm hoping to gain from it.

pedanticpat · 25-11-2013 04:58PM

Mr.McLovin wrote: »

small penis?

No, but thanks for the offer.

Hoop66 · 25-11-2013 04:59PM

Not so soon after lunch, thanks.

Ihatecuddles · 25-11-2013 04:59PM

This happened to me before, I was not a happy bunny!

If I were you Id speak to him about it, tell him he was the only one you told and now numerous people know.

eigrod · 25-11-2013 05:02PM

Why did you tell your boss in the first place ?

If you felt it's information that is relevant to your job that he needed to know, then you can't really expect him to keep it to himself because I'm sure he then felt he had to talk to someone else about it in the same way you did.

My boss has revealed personal information about me.

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