Manager disclosed medical information to hiring manager

[Ourmaud]

I’ve applied, and subsequently been offered an internal promotion at work. I only returned from mat leave last month and prior to having my baby I had 4 months sick leave- was on bed rest and had surgery after birth.
Since being back I’ve had an access to work assessment and equipment was ordered for me. Manager was supportive initially.
I’m not exactly struggling being back but my job has really changed and the location has changed as well- from a 5 min commute to 1.5 hr commute. A job came up in an area I wanted to work in but have no experience in- I applied for this job without telling my manager with no expectations I’d even get an interview. When I did get offered an interview I informed my manager who went apeshit and accused me of being sneaky. She then seemed to come round and wished me luck when I got a second interview.
I got offered the job and accepted it. My new manager has called my existing manager to sort finishing and start dates out whereupon my manager has told her I’ve had 9 months off sick, never had a review and that she’s cancelled my equipment order. All of which are lies. Is this something she’s allowed to do with data protection and such? Hr have now proved she lied and provided new mgr with relevant details and I’m still getting my job but I’m annoyed she jeopardised it and feel like it was out of spite. She’s now making my life a misery during my notice period- picking apart everything I do, dressing me down in front of colleagues and making snide comments.
Aibu to want to complain about her behaviour?

Yanbu she sounds awful, how fucking petty of her! Good luck in the new job op

Go to HR first thing on Monday morning, she is a nasty bully.

Definitely report this to HR. It will mark her cards as she appears to be a bully, and any further complaints from future staff will be backed up by anything on the record from you.

Potentially, & I'm honestly not sure, that this could be regarded as your manager giving you a bad reference as such, which isn't allowed.

Hopefully someone with an HR background will post soon & clarify. Manager sounds a complete bitch tbh.

You need to have a meeting with her where you are open about your concerns. Of course that's easier said than done, but you need to call her out on it. If she continues to be an arse, you could take a grievance against her. You said HR have proved she lied, so I'd also be querying what happens to her on that score. They won't tell you, but they should be taking some action.
It is important that you don't just take it, for you and your new manager, but also for anyone else who follows you. Bullies get away with being bullies when they go unchallenged.
Good luck and congratulations on your new job. You must be ace!

Thanks for the advice. My manager has a reputation for being difficult but I’d never seen this side of her before. I’ll speak to my union rep and hr and go from there.

Is your new job with the same company as the old job? If so, new manager would find out about your sickness record anyway.

Managers are allowed to give bad references @Flowerpot2005 If they were not then references would be pointless.

Giving an incorrect one out of spite is very much not OK though, and given the way the OP has been treated I would be straight off to HR on Monday morning.

Managers are not allowed to give bad references, this is long-established case law. Because an organisation can be sued for a poor (or materially inaccurate) reference. In many organisations, references have to go through HR and are basic, eg ‘x has worked here for y years and has had z days off sick’ for that very reason. They cannot include pregnancy-related absence.
I’m sorry you have experienced this, OP. I’m glad HR have set the record straight, but I still think you could make a complaint about your current manager. Awful behaviour, she sounds like a nasty bully.

Managers can refuse to give a reference but they can’t give a slanderous one!

The manager is not allowed to discuss your health related issues without your prior permission, with anyone. It doesn't form part of a reference.

Your manager did not give a reference, she divulged personal information without your permission.

It's a matter of how far you want to go - it sounds like HR have sorted it out and it hasn't prejudiced your position re the new job - what would you hope to get out of it?

In your place, I'd want her to be disciplined in some way. She's not just been unprofessional, she has broken the law. I believe your HR should be reporting it as a data breach.