Colleague went through work email

[mm84]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Recently, a colleague of mine asked me to log into a server for work purposes and told me she will log me out . I did what she asked and later found out that she went through all my emails when she started quoting a confidential email with my boss. I believe I can prove that she went through my emails.
Is this something that she should get fired for , if proved? She has been in the company for several years and its the first time she has done something like this. FYI company size is >1000 people. HR and IT have not really told me anything and are taking their time. I have been told to not talk about anything, but she is going around talking to people saying generally negative things around me . She had been generally bullying me before this incident but this felt like a theft.

I had some personal information in it too that she accessed (I sent copies of my social security number, passport, I9, direct deposit bank account info etc) to HR through work email. I think she accessed those as well, though its harder to prove that she did that.

Is this something that the company should/most probably fire her for?
Can I be blamed for logging in for her when she asked me? I was deceived into it.


Thank you so much for your help and your kind thoughts.

 

[Proserpina]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California

Recently, a colleague of mine asked me to log into a server for work purposes and told me she will log me out . I did what she asked and later found out that she went through all my emails when she started quoting a confidential email with my boss. I believe I can prove that she went through my emails.
Is this something that she should get fired for , if proved? She has been in the company for several years and its the first time she has done something like this. FYI company size is >1000 people. HR and IT have not really told me anything and are taking their time. I have been told to not talk about anything, but she is going around talking to people saying generally negative things around me . She had been generally bullying me before this incident but this felt like a theft.

I had some personal information in it too that she accessed (I sent copies of my social security number, passport, I9, direct deposit bank account info etc) to HR through work email. I think she accessed those as well, though its harder to prove that she did that.

Is this something that the company should/most probably fire her for?
Can I be blamed for logging in for her when she asked me? I was deceived into it.


Thank you so much for your help and your kind thoughts.

Whether or not she should or would be fired is something only your employer can decide. They don't need to keep you informed, and they don't have to discipline her at all. Whether or not you can be fired is another question only your employer can answer. Is it safe to assume you were not supposed to give anybody your login?

I do have a question though; you're saying she bullied you prior to this happening. Why did you give her access at all?

 

[cbg]

HR WILL NOT tell you what action they take. It is unlikely that a long time employee will be fired for a first offense.

 

[commentator]

I suspect you signed a lot of information system policies when you came to work for this company. And I suspect that one of them was that you were never to give anyone else the access to your own system, that you are responsible for logging yourself in and out always. But you did trust her to do it, which was a serious mistake on your part, so when you report her and complain that SHE did something illegal, you are only highlighting your wrongdoing which was giving her this personal access, trusting her to log you out appropriately, not taking full responsibility for your own server in the first darn place. You can't just claim you were 'deceived into it." She did sign you out eventually, didn't she? That's what she told you she would do, so you gave her access to your personal server while it was still on. So what if she was a bully or was a very demanding person? And she's talking negatively about you now. So what? You're sort of talking negatively about her, too, have you noticed?

HR is not doing anything they don't want to, and they won't tell you anything about that they're doing, even if they are doing something. Even if you "asked them the question" they don't owe you an answer. And really, don't be surprised if you don't come out of this situation with a reprimand, even if they give her one too. And there will be lots and lots of bad and bitter feelings from her, while you have to remain co workers. You really have not had anything specifically stolen from you, even though you say it "feels like a theft." What I suggest is that you forget this issue as much as possible and move on and behave very professionally, discuss this with no one in the workplace, be cordial but distant with her, and get over it.

 

[eerelations]

Posting history.

So far today, OP wants to sue a hotel and get a coworker fired, and has advised another OP that his/her workplace problems will be resolved if he/she bribes HR.

OP has not responded to any of the numerous replies to her posts.

 

[not2cleverRed]

Posting history.

So far today, OP wants to sue a hotel and get a coworker fired, and has advised another OP that his/her workplace problems will be resolved if he/she bribes HR.

OP has not responded to any of the numerous replies to her posts.

It was a busy 10 minutes for her.

Maybe she was in the bathroom. Using on her phone. Thinking of how she can sweeten the deal with HR...

 

[driver3115]

my previous employer

I work for this company over 10 years and I just quite because they was running me illegal and a lot of discrimination going on there now this company refuses to verify my employment. And it is holding me up from getting another job. I told them I was going to report them to IRS, dot ,OSHA, Health Department, labor board. And was going to file discrimination charges. They refused to give me my vacation pay my last paycheck and all this took place in the state of Maryland is there anything I can do about this.

 

[Zigner]

I work for this company over 10 years and I just quite because they was running me illegal and a lot of discrimination going on there now this company refuses to verify my employment. And it is holding me up from getting another job. I told them I was going to report them to IRS, dot ,OSHA, Health Department, labor board. And was going to file discrimination charges. They refused to give me my vacation pay my last paycheck and all this took place in the state of Maryland is there anything I can do about this.

Please start your own thread.