Managers unethical behavior has me very upset.

[Concerned12]

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

A manager / supervisor of mine went on our company intranet and falsified my training records by claiming he was me and completed my training to meet his deadline.

One of the training modules required verification of the participant. He also electronically signed a confidentiality agreement as me. All of this was done without my knowledge. Did he commit a crime or is this just an ethics violation?

 

[quincy]

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

A manager / supervisor of mine went on our company intranet and falsified my training records by claiming he was me and completed my training to meet his deadline.

One of the training modules required verification of the participant. He also electronically signed a confidentiality agreement as me. All of this was done without my knowledge. Did he commit a crime or is this just an ethics violation?

Is your manager/supervisor an attorney? If not, then there is no legal ethics violation or lawyer malpractice and you placed your question in the wrong section of the forum.

That said, impersonating someone to falsify their records is a crime, and forging signatures is a crime.

You can report your manager/supervisior to his superior.

 

[Concerned12]

He is not a lawyer that I know of. Where should the post have been made please?

 

[quincy]

He is not a lawyer that I know of. Where should the post have been made please?

It doesn't matter now because your questions can be (and have been ) answered here. They just have nothing to do with lawyer ethics or lawyer malpractice so I wanted that clarified.

Again, if your manager/supervisor faked data by impersonating you and forging your signature, he has committed a crime. You can report him to his superior who can decide what to do about the matter.

Good luck.

 

[LdiJ]

Is your manager/supervisor an attorney? If not, then there is no legal ethics violation or lawyer malpractice and you placed your question in the wrong section of the forum.

That said, impersonating someone to falsify their records is a crime, and forging signatures is a crime.

You can report your manager/supervisior to his superior.

Quincy,

This time I think that you have confused the OP. You used his use of the word "ethics" to indicate that applies only to situations with attorneys.

For his sake and the sake of others I must point out that there are many, many industries where "ethics" are a consideration. Besides legal, there are all forms of medical, all forms of education, all forms of accounting and taxation, Even inside other industries there are internal codes of ethics.

However, I believe that the question the OP meant to ask was if what the manager did was actually illegal, or was it just a violation of company policy an/or a privacy issue.

Of course the answer if you want to claim forgery is both that its illegal and that it almost is guaranteed to have violated company policy.

 

[Proserpina]

Quincy,

This time I think that you have confused the OP. You used his use of the word "ethics" to indicate that applies only to situations with attorneys.

For his sake and the sake of others I must point out that there are many, many industries where "ethics" are a consideration. Besides legal, there are all forms of medical, all forms of education, all forms of accounting and taxation, Even inside other industries there are internal codes of ethics.

However, I believe that the question the OP meant to ask was if what the manager did was actually illegal, or was it just a violation of company policy an/or a privacy issue.

Of course the answer if you want to claim forgery is both that its illegal and that it almost is guaranteed to have violated company policy.

This is in a section of the forum entitled, "Legal Ethics ... "

 

[quincy]

Quincy,

This time I think that you have confused the OP. You used his use of the word "ethics" to indicate that applies only to situations with attorneys.

For his sake and the sake of others I must point out that there are many, many industries where "ethics" are a consideration. Besides legal, there are all forms of medical, all forms of education, all forms of accounting and taxation, Even inside other industries there are internal codes of ethics.

However, I believe that the question the OP meant to ask was if what the manager did was actually illegal, or was it just a violation of company policy an/or a privacy issue.

Of course the answer if you want to claim forgery is both that its illegal and that it almost is guaranteed to have violated company policy.

You were confused by what I wrote, LdiJ?

Concerned12 posted his thread in the "Legal Ethics and Lawyer Malpractice" section of the forum. If his questions have nothing to do with lawyers, they also have nothing to do with legal ethics or lawyer malpractice. I don't see how that is confusing.

But you are right. Ethical questions can arise in many areas other than in law (although generally not in this section of the forum ) and often do arise in many areas other than in law.

What the manager/supervisor did was no doubt unethical. Although there is probably no written company policy stating that employees should not falsify data or forge signatures, it seems reasonable to assume that the company does not condone such behavior.

Although an act can be legal and still be unethical, when someone commits a crime, that tends to be not only illegal but also unethical.

 

[Concerned12]

I saw the forum legal ethics and felt this forum appropriate because my question is did he legally commit a crime? I knew what he did was unethical. This forum was the closest match. The company wants to simply punish him and use this as a learning experience towards his managerial skills. I want him out of the company, as far away from any of my personal records as possible. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice will not happen if he is not there.

 

[cbg]

You have the right to report him to the company. You do not have the right to dictate to them what action they take.

Likewise, you have the right to report him to the police. You do not have the right - or the ability - to force them to act.

 

[Concerned12]

I have a meeting with the HR director and the VP of manufacturing on Monday morning to discuss this. They have been handling this in house and I feel that they really do not want our corporate parent to get wind of the inappropriate behavior. I am trying to figure my next move.

 

[quincy]

I saw the forum legal ethics and felt this forum appropriate because my question is did he legally commit a crime? I knew what he did was unethical. This forum was the closest match. The company wants to simply punish him and use this as a learning experience towards his managerial skills. I want him out of the company, as far away from any of my personal records as possible. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice will not happen if he is not there.

First, posters often puzzle over which section of the forum their thread best belongs. With your post, I wanted clarification so that I did not unnecessarily post links to North Carolina Bar Association's Code of Ethics and Ethics Opinions. They would not have applied to a non-lawyer - so they would not have applied to your manager/supervisor and your ethics question.

If the company already knows what the manager did and chooses to "punish" him in their own way instead of pursuing any legal action against him, there is really very little you can do other than make the company aware of your displeasure. I know if I were the company, I would not trust the manager with employee information and, if I were an employee, I would not want to be managed by someone who has proven himself to be less than honest.

But, it is what it is.

Good luck.

 

[cbg]

I understand how upset you are and I do not blame you. However, in determining "your next move" you do need to understand what your options are and aren't.

You do not have any legal leverage to force the company to fire him. None. Zip. Nada. If they choose to do so they can; if they choose not to that is their right and there is no law you can invoke that will force them to do what you want. It is a one-way opt; theirs.

 

[Concerned12]

What are the ramifications if I sue the company?

 

[Proserpina]

What are the ramifications if I sue the company?

Sue them for what?

 

[Concerned12]

Their employee committed a crime and I am the victim. He falsified my training records. He committed fraud by electronically signing a confidentiality agreement as me. All of which would have gone under the radar had I not exposed him. I have retaken the training, but my performance and retention have been altered by his action. My results are not as they would have been.