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Original poster

I have done something really bad at work. Meeting tomorrow to discuss it. So so ashamed and worried.

268 replies

daytimemom · 21/08/2018 19:19

I am so ashamed. I have done something unforgivable at work. My stomach is churning. Just checked my work emails from home and saw one from my manager saying under no circumstances must I access a work database (will call it RED) and we will be having a meeting about it tomorrow.

RED is a new database I have just been given access to. It is an appointment booking database for work colleagues. Last week I was playing around on RED trying to work out how to use it as I needed to make an appointment for a colleague. I noticed I was down as a manager for a couple of colleagues on RED (I don’t manage anyone) so clicked on these colleagues names to see who they were. It brought up confidential info on them like address and date of birth. Accessing these colleagues details was my first mistake.

My second was clicking on my own name, I wanted to see what it said ie why I was down as a manager & in all honesty I was curious.

So by accessing my own record I have breached all our organisations information governance policies. I know it was wrong and I don’t know why I didn’t think about this at the time. So so stupid.

I now feel sick to my stomach. I am on probation so they could just sack me. How will I get another job with this on my record Sad I know I have done something unforgivable but I don’t know how I will be able to cope with this Sad

OP posts:
MistressoftheYoniverse · 21/08/2018 20:46

Do you work for the Civil Service because they are a piece of work with stuff like this so sorry...do you have a union rep to attend with you?

WeAreGoingOnAJobHunt · 21/08/2018 20:48

I also think that any formal meeting where there is going to be disciplinary matter being discussed needs 5 working days notice, and an invite for you to take someone into - regardless of whether you are on probation or not.

MadisonMontgomery · 21/08/2018 20:48

Do not go in apologising! I would just say that you were working out how to use the system (which you were) and deny all knowledge that you have done anything wrong - say that if the info was there, then surely if you can access it you were supposed to.

I had something very, very similar happen to me 10 years ago - a manager had left confidential info about another employee on a document I could access. When he realised I had seen it he shit himself and tried to get me in trouble by saying I shouldn’t have been accessing the document. If I had apologised or admitted any wrongdoing I would have been dismissed, I just acted dumb and said that as he had left the info there for anyone with access to see, I presumed it was fine for me to see it.

Desmondo2016 · 21/08/2018 20:48

You didn't do anything with dishonest intentions. Do not apologise. Wait for them to say their bit and if they are trying to pin something on you, (which I suspect they wont) merely say 'it was a genuine mistake born of professional curiosity in trying to explore a new system. I did nothing with any dishonest intention and I did not realise that there was a chance I could so easily access information I was not meant to be able to see, and equally that other people could incorrectly be able to view mine'. I know you'll worry anyway but you really havent done anything particularly wrong.

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 21/08/2018 20:48

Read mimisunshine post and do exactly that.

BewareOfDragons · 21/08/2018 20:49

Go in calmly and make it clear you were trying to figure out the system and how to use it to book, etc, and you had no idea that clicking on things would bring up sensitive information. You should have had training, and those things shouldn't be so easily accessible. That is all true.

Monkee4 · 21/08/2018 20:49

What everyone else says. Please don't beat yourself up or feel ashamed.
You were given access to it and you were simply trying to see how it worked. We ALL MAKE MISTAKES by the way. At work I have made 2 fairly big financial ones this month (!) which were luckily corrected in time and no one died. I felt (feel) terrible about it but everyone has been pretty understanding as I am under stress and we have been extremely busy. You are conscientous and loyal and if you weren't you wouldn't care so much. Take care and write everything down as it happened as others have suggested xx

ScoobyGangMember · 21/08/2018 20:50

Their mistake, not yours.

OlennasWimple · 21/08/2018 20:51

Do not apologise until you know what the situation is and whether you indeed have anything to apologise for

Take someone into the meeting with you, even if it's not a union rep.

Make notes now about what happened, and take them with you to the meeting so that you can be clear about the sequence of events

Think of it like a piece of paper that was left lying around - you don't know that it contains confidential information until you read it. The breach is the fault of the person who left the paper lying around, not the person who read it

Good luck Flowers

Ceecee18 · 21/08/2018 20:56

Would they be able to tell you've accessed those files?

You said the email said not to access RED, that the meeting would explain why and that you wouldn't be able to do that part of the job anymore. Is it possible that they've realised you have access and that they don't want you to log onto it/ do that part of your job until they've rectified it? Doesn't sound like they're going to fire you if they said you won't be able to do that part of your job anymore

But if it is a meeting to discipline you for it, don't accept fault. Ask why you were given access in the first place. And why you had no training. Play dumb and say you that as you had not training you thought you were just clicking on appointments with those people, not their files. This is their mistake, not yours!

Meltedicicle · 21/08/2018 20:59

Relax! The email has told you not to access RED again which you won’t and tomorrow you’ll have a meeting when they will explain why so it doesn’t sound like you’re in trouble more like maybe there’s been an error in the system giving you access to the wrong info. If you shouldn’t have access to records/data then their systems should be more secure, it’s really not your fault. Doesn’t sound like you saw anything major anyway did you?

Years ago, someone at my work found out that everyone’s salaries were viewable on an unlocked spreadsheet-everyone viewed it until management realised what was going on and made it password protected!

ScarlettDarling · 21/08/2018 21:00

God, I can feel the panic coming through your posts. You poor thing. You haven't done anything unforgivable. Deep breath, worst case scenario isn't the end of the world. No one is going to die. It'll be fine. Good luck for tomorrow Flowers

takeittakeit · 21/08/2018 21:01

Seriously - no training, no advice and free access, they were stupid.

The database is insecure and incorrectly set up, if you can access this much info in seconds.

YOu clicke don people who were under your name as their manager and you did not recognise them - I would aswell and then report back to management there are some glitches.

Seriously the database sounds shit

Upsy1981 · 21/08/2018 21:02

If you have a union, insist on rep being present at any meeting.

Don't apologise for anything initially. Find out what they have to say.

I would throw it back to them. You were exploring the system. You could access all these areas with your log in details so you did not realise they were out of bounds.

But definitely get union rep if you can.

AnnieAnoniMoose · 21/08/2018 21:04

You need to STOP the way you are thinking and START getting your act together if you want to keep your job.

They are at fault here, not you. It would be incredibly stupid of you to admit doing something wrong. YOU didn't. You shouldn’t have had access to areas you shouldn't be viewing and CERTAINLY NOT before you’ve had training and CLEAR instructions about what you are and aren’t permitted to do/view

Obviously if you are marked as manager and you dont know who the staff are you’re going to click on their na blamed gor it. mes.

Get ANGRY that you have been put in this position, by them, then blamed for it. You

GreatestShowWoman · 21/08/2018 21:06

Good luck sounds like their fuck up, not yours.

CluelessAboutSpain · 21/08/2018 21:08

Lots of good advice from previous posters, I agree with sending an email tonight to take control of the narrative. As others have said, this is primarily their fuck-up, not yours.

As an aside: in your first post you said that you were still on probation but later you mentioned having been there for 18 months. I'm not in the UK so excuse my ignorance, but surely a probation period can't last that long?

frankiestein401 · 21/08/2018 21:10

i think you are saying
a) the corp has it information policies that forbid you from accessing personal details
b) you were aware of this
c) you were given access to a system that let you access personal details with the expectation that you would self-train via online help
d) you selected more than one individual and saw some personal data for each-

if b) and d) are true then the question has to be why did you click on more than one? as soon as you realised personal details (just address and dob?) were visible why click again?

if b) isnt true then your corp is at fault not you - even so the misconfiguration of you as their manager ought to be the only reason you could see those details.

As for seeing your own address/dob - not an issue - systems are supposed to let you see/know the information they hold on you so that you can assure it is correct.

if the details were manager salaries, disciplinary record etc then i can understand it being an issue but the misconfiguration is the issue.

BigBlueBubble · 21/08/2018 21:14

OP your position should be that this is their fault and you’re extremely angry about it. They’ve given you access to data you weren’t supposed to see and now they’re blaming you for accidentally seeing it in the process of doing your job. They’ve failed to give you training and are blaming you for clicking on things without knowing what you’re clicking on or what data would be revealed. And they’re saying you’re wrong for looking at information about your own job role (ie people who are listed as reporting to you).

In your shoes I’d be telling them they’ve put me in an extremely awkward situation because of their mistakes and asking how they intend to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Do not accept any of the blame. And take someone into the meeting with you as a witness.

Haworthia · 21/08/2018 21:18

You have nothing to apologise for.

You were exploring the database trying to get a feel for it. You were curious why person X and person Y were linked to you. You clicked on them not knowing what would happen. You did the same with your own name out of curiousity.

I would have done exactly the same.

You didn’t fuck up: they did. If it was so important not to do what you did within that database, then a) they should have trained you and b) they should not make personal data so easily accessible.

Or, what BigBlueBubble said.

Hidingtonothing · 21/08/2018 21:19

I hope you’re still reading OP, great advice here. Will be thinking about you tomorrow, hope it goes ok Flowers

NewUserNameTime · 21/08/2018 21:21

Great advice upthread to be calm and factual.

You were navigating a system you have been provided access to. Therefore you are not at fault!

Try to get a good night's sleep

Allthatsnot · 21/08/2018 21:22

I work with confidential data, accessing your own information is a sackable offence.
Accessing other peoples data without due cause is a sackable offence.
However, you have had no training OP. You cannot be held accountable for errors made on a system you have never used or seen in use and you were trying to navigate a system blind. Any breaches are the company's fault not yours.

AnoukSpirit · 21/08/2018 21:23

You had no training and have been given the wrong level of access, I would have assumed an error in my job title and clicking 1 name would bring up an organisational chart not their personal information!

Likewise.

And some people do write all their emails in a formal style because they're aware once sent they are permanent and could end up on file.

I'm a bit confused how you can have been there 18 months and be on probation? That would be one heck of a probationary period. Or have I misread something?

Regardless I see nothing to be ashamed about unless you've held something back. Let all your emotion and panic out tonight and then go in tomorrow calm, and clear, and assertive - without the emotion, without the panic, without all the apologising and begging for forgiveness.

Tomboytown · 21/08/2018 21:24

They've told you not to use it because they realise they've fucked up.
They gave you access to something they shouldn't and told you to figure it out with no training. You've done nothing wrong.