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

[daytimemom]

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 I know I have done something unforgivable but I don’t know how I will be able to cope with this

I have to ask if you have been there 18 months why are you still on probation ? I would also agree that you should never have had access to the information you saw. Their problem not yours.

They should have provided adequate training before giving you access. The fact they didn't and left you to get on with it means they need to take some responsibility for this.

You didn't know that personal data would pop up when you clicked.

Maybe for the first name but not the second.

Don’t apologise, this wasn’t your fault. I was a database manager some years ago (before GDPR). If someone had permissions that allowed them to access confidential information it would have been my fault, not theirs.
And the only way to really get to grips with a new database is to have a play with it and see how it works. It’s normal , it’s what I always recommended new users to do, reassuring them that it was set up in a way that they couldn’t do any harm or see anything untoward. You are not at fault here. If other people were doing their job right you wouldn’t have seen anything untoward.

Please ensure you have a witness with you for this meeting, preferably your union rep. If you're not in a union you should call citizens advice and ask them about providing a witness. You have a right to having a witness for this meeting. Don't allow your work to hold a meeting like this without it being done properly and them notifying you of your rights. Xx

They set up the system with errors in it (you don't manage anyone, you had access to data you shouldn't have). You were told to go in and figure it out, and that's what you did. If the data was so sensitive you shouldn't have been able to see it in the first place.

Then they realized they'd fucked up. Very convenient for them if you blame yourself and take the fall--nobody who actually fucked up has to take any blame.

You need an attitude transplant, you do. Go to that meeting oozing indignation that you were expected to train yourself on a misconfigured system that could have got people into serious hot water.

Simply tell them what you said here. You were trying to familiarise yourself with the system. You clicked some files to find your way around.

If they were confidential they would have been inaccessible. They weren’t.

How have I done anything wrong.

Perhaps at worst I have exposed a flaw in your system.

They were at fault if indeed it was a fault allowing your access to it.

You are obviously completely in the clear of any wrongdoing. All you did was press a few keys.

Repudiate firmly any and all other insinuations as being ridiculous.

Goodness op, I was expecting something truly dreadful, like you were a Vet who'd euthanised the wrong cat, or you'd left a massive unflushable poo in the one functioning staff toilet. This is not an unforgivable sin of sins, it's an IT glitch.

Yes, own your mistakes - clicking on a second name was silly. But make sure they own theirs too. Letting an untrained person loose on a database full of confidential information is bonkers! They're lucky you didn't accidentally delete half of it or email it to your whole address book or something. Be calm and don't allow anyone to load every bit of blame onto your shoulders because it's certainly not all your fault. They have got off very lightly, in my opinion.

If you are NHS then you would not have been there for 18 months without knowing that accessing patient data is a sackable offence. It's covered in any basic induction training. Even members of the public are aware of this. You haven't answered whether you are NHS but this is really the only instance where it could be a major issue?

I will apologise and admit my mistake. I just feel so ashamed. I should have just left RED alone and asked for some training

To be honest I think you need to be a bit more assertive here. I wouldn't be taking the blame and see what they say first. You need to stand up for yourself and tell them you had no training, they gave you access the system.

Tell them that you were exposing their errors. You are not to blame. If they give you access to information, they shouldn't be surprised you used it. Don't apologise. It's their fuck up. They know that hence the urgent meeting, asking you not to access the database so that they can change your permissions.
This ^

Even if your boss is the most lovely person on earth don't be anyone's fool. They have messed up.
Be calm, be assertative and read what advice you have been given on here so if they try and blame you for anything be straight back at them

Don't apologise. At all.

Take someone with you to take notes.

Explain exactly what you did and no more than that.

Ask why you were given permissions for people's data and then let lose on a new system untrained.

I am responsible for granting system access. In this circumstance it would be my neck on the block not you.

It may well be your Manager that is at fault here, or her boss.

Finally why on earth have they still got you on probation 18 months into the job.

The company is at fault for putting you down as manager.
Just state you were working your way around the system.
It is a mistake.

Take someone in.
Dont apologise.
Listen before saying anything

You shouldn’t have too much to worry about. Unless you’ve disclosed information you found on the system or used the information you found out about yourself to cause problems. How did they find out you saw the info by the way?

Op calm down. I came on here expecting to see you had done something terrible but you haven't! It's their fuck up. You've had some great advice on here so won't repeat any of it. Good luck and breathe!

From what you’ve said OP, it does sound more like your boss is saying “you must not access RED again” because they’ve realised the system is at fault, not that you did something bad.

I’d also send Emerald’s email.

Op- they way you are reacting is really worrying. Why are you ashamed? Why are you planning to grovel? I just can't see how it was your mistake- is there more to the story?

Don’t panic OP, I hope it goes ok tomorrow. I would take someone with you to the meeting if you’re nervous.

It sounds like there is something wrong with the new software don't panic! Explain you were trying to find your way round the system but only if they know what you have accessed! You might get to the meeting to find that the new software is not to be used by anyone because it is not functioning properly. I don't think what you have done is so awful (and they may not know!)

OP YOU HAVE NOT DOEN ANYTHING WRONG!!*

Sorry to shout, but you're really giving yourself a hard time here and it's not your fault.

If they're told you that there was personal data on there, and you were not to look - then you would be at fault.

If you were deliberately looking for your colleagues files so you cold spy on their personal data - then you would be at fault.

You were doing neither of these things.

You were trying to work out how the database worked. It is reasonable to assume you didn't have access to confidential data and clicking on names wasn't out of limits. On many systems if you click on someone's name you see their public profile on this system. This is a reasonable assumption.

It's also reasonable to click on something odd (that you were a manager on that system) to see if something is afoot.

And, it's reasonable to work out how a new system works by exploring it.

Please, please stop beating yourself up and stand up for yourself.

They should never have given you access to this without making it clear you should not click on names. And the system is poor if it gives you access to this stuff.

They are blaming you for THEIR mistake. Please don't accept this.

You have a right to take someone with you. It looks like you maybe have trouble standing up for yourself. Can you take someone with you to give you support?

Does it say not to access RED or not to access RED again?

The meeting could be about issues with the system

I think this seems like a misunderstanding more than anything. When I read the OP I thought it was going to be much, much worse. Like watching porn and spreading a virus to everyone in the office bad. That guy managed to keep his job! There is more hope for you than you are giving yourself credit for. Dont let them bully you. They fucked up by giving you access so remember that. You didn't ask for it, you were just a bit confused and clicked on some details, that was it.

Good luck OP.

Do not go in apologising as though you are to blame, you really really aren't and going in as though you've committed an unforgivable offence puts you on the back foot from the off.
I don't see why so many posters are concerned that you might be NHS either! It certainly isn't any the worse in that situation. OP didn't go onto the database thinking 'How does this work now? Hmm.. let me search John Smith even though he sits opposite me. Oh look, he's there! What does it say about him?' On a patient data database. She was listed as his line manager on a page she had access to. So HR details at worst. I work for the NHS, on our system my managers can see my confidential info only to the extent as in any other workplace setting, my full medical records aren't pulled up under their 'People I manage' tab!

I don’t see that you have done anything wrong. You were given access to RED and you were having a go to see what it does. All sounds quite innocent on your part. Without proper training or guidance how are you to know what you should and should not click on.

Yes, even if it's an NHS system it's other staff details, not patient details, that have been accessed.

Good luck tomorrow OP. Take the advice here and don't throw yourself under the bus.