Asking partner's boss for time off. WIBU?

[Andromeida59]

Hello, my DP's birthday is in a few weeks. For his birthday, I am planning a trip away during the working week at the end of November.

Yesterday, I emailed my DP's manager asking if it would be possible for him to have the time off.

DP's manager is very friendly. In his area they don't book off days with HR, they just take leave when they want. I found the email address online as it is a public facing address. I told him that I hadn't booked it and wanted to know if it would be OK to do so.

He responded immediately saying that it was fine and wishing DP a nice time. I booked it off as my DP may be anxious about being able to have the time off.

I'm now worrying that I've really overstepped a boundary. He's been with his work for a decade and I've never done anything like this before.

WIBU?

Its fine, I do the personnel incl holidays at work and there's a couple of dates which have been booked off without the employee knowing, they're highlighted in yellow on the spreadsheet with "SECRET HOLIDAY DONT LET EMPLOYEE KNOW"

FFS there are some real nutters on hear. What miserable lives they must lead.
The amount of times GDPR is trotted out on hear by people who are completely clueless as to what it actually involves is astounding.
Controlling, for gods sake she is arranging a nice surprise and needed to know that her husband would be able to have certain dates off as she was booking concert tickets as part of the surprise. The may well have sold out if she had waited a few weeks to book it.
Op you have done a lovely thing for your husband, enjoy your special time away Ignore the nutters.

I don't CARE either way but I would never discuss anything at all, not even leave allowance with the spouse of an employee. Because that is not allowed where I work.

But I'm not invested in to this. Just surprised that they had the conversation with her at all.

But like, splitting hairs, what the OP will care about is whether or not her husband thinks the phone call was ok. If it's ok in the culture of his company then he won't mind I"d guess.

Bloodyhell, not clueless about GDPR at all. unfortunately

Just mentioned it, and was then put in the position of having to defend/explain.

ENJOY THE HOLIDAY OP!

@31RueCambon

I asked you to explain, yes. Not defend, that's a ridiculous leap. You saying 'it breaches GDPR' and then not expanding as to why doesn't benefit anyone. I clearly don't know enough about GDPR so what's wrong with asking someone who does know?

Ok sorry, I don't know who I was responding to really. There are comments on this thread saying that some people have sad lives and their comprehension is faulty, and others saying that people mentioning ''facts'' about GDPR are worse.

Even before GDPR , we couldn't enter in to a conversation with an employee's spouse. The response is to ask them to ask their spouse to phone us.

Even entering in to the conversation can give away information, such as the fact that the employee still works there (or no longer works there).

I have to do these fucking annoying refresher courses on a regular basis and some of the things that are considered data breaches would blow your mind.

I work in a government department that's very hot on the GDPR - and this wouldn't raise an eyebrow - happened loads over the years. Best one - a Crown Court trial date was fixed police officers leave checked - on rest days - but he said fine he could change them no problem. Except that his Sergeant contacted us - officer's wife had secretly booked an anniversary trip on the Orient Express for those dates... I got hold of defence solicitor who explained to his client...went to Court and told the Judge in chambers - who vacated and refixed the trial for a couple of weeks later. Didn't tell officer why trial date changed - had him grumbling about the inefficiency of the system for weeks. Then when he came to the trial - everyone from the defendant to the Judge wished him a happy anniversary and asked how the trip had been (fabulous)...When he realised what everyone had done he was really touched.

@rainbowunicorn I agree.

In what way am I clueless about GDPR? What is it that I have got wrong?

I am roaring at the not being able to speak to a caller to take a message for a colleague as being a breach of the GDPR because it could confirm if they work there or not.

It may be a security issue for other reasons - such as if you are in the forces or the police - but that's nothing to do with the GDPR. In this case no personal data has been released so it is nothing to do with the GDPR. The OP has simply got in touch, explained she is his wife, asked if he can have some time off, manager has said yes and that's the end of it.

GDPR truly is the new Health & Safety...

In what way am I clueless about GDPR? What is it that I have got wrong?

I have no idea? Maybe the problem isn't what you have got wrong so much as that you cannot seem to point to the relevant part of the legislation that makes you right?

@controversialferret,that is a different scenario.

I work for an (very big) international company with that afore mentioned "online system" for annual leave.

My DH did exactly the same as you OP. He went to HR though, who forwarded his email to my boss.

She authorised five days of AL for me, which included having to miss a compulsory conference.

It wasn't wierd, or controlling or anything else. It was fucking lovely.

I felt so special that he went to that effort for me.

Some pps on here are fucking weird.

You're right poolblack. I can't point to the right paragraph in the legislation. I'm just trusting that we're not following these rules at work for no reason at all. We're all told repeatedly that we're the data controller and that data can only be discussed with the data subject themselves and scenarios like the OP's are given as tricky situations to be aware of. I have not pored over the legislation though, true! I've done those online 8 minute refreshers which we have to do every six months or so. It seems clear to me. I have still made data breaches at work and needed to fill in forms to explain why it happened. So have all of my colleagues. So although people are roaring laughing at me, at work, I have to take it seriously! It's not like any of us welcomed this shit it does make things harder, quite often, I'm in the situation of wanting to help in some circumstances where somebody has poor literacy for example, or is too ill to fill in a form. Our hands are tied and this is made clear to us repeatedly.

I'm not trying to be an arse here. I hope the OP's surprise holiday goes way. I didn't realise GDPR was a bingo card on mn.

Where I work this stuff is taken very seriously.. And so it should be really.

So over and out now.

@ControversialFerret
I know right!!
I mean you call a business and god forbid they should let on that people that work there.
Unless is MI5 it’s really not a problem.

And if the scenario is that your being stalked or harassed, then the best thing to do is tell your manager and HR so they are aware and can act accordingly to strange requests of time off.

This is thread is a whole new level of batshittery

I didnt invent GDPR. "Batshittery" 🙈🤣

Interesting that it's so widely ignored though.

I guess the only thing that might have been an issue with GDPR is the boss confirming DH works there?

That was an example of why it's not a good idea to enter in to a conversation with the employee's spouse.

A lot of people seem to work for small relaxed companies but where I work there is a process for complaining if a subject's data isn't respected and people do use it. We also have to report all our own accidental data breaches.

So really, the people ''roaring'' (laughing?) at the batshittery on this thread, they must all work for very small companies.

Overstepping and a bit controlling really.

This comment alone should be put in Classics.

I think it's a lovely thing to do, hope you both enjoy it.

I guess the only thing that might have been an issue with GDPR is the boss confirming DH works there?

So someone phones up to unfortunately say their husband/wife has had a serious accident/is seriously ill/passed away then it might be an issue for their workplace to confirm they work there?

its a tough one, technically I think that you would have someone logged as NOK and they can update status. But you couldn't just call up and say "I'm sharons partner, and shes dead" I think.... i'm not sure how that would work ( I've done some GDPR stuff, but no expert)

Happened to someone I work in my team.
Husband booked a two week trip, we were all in on the secret as had to cover her. She didn't even have enough AL left so had to take unpaid leave, all arranged by our HR manager.
I think it's a lovely thing to do.

We're all told repeatedly that we're the data controller and that data can only be discussed with the data subject themselves

That's correct. The key point here is "the data". The GDPR governs personal data. Confirming to a spouse that her husband can have the 26th of October (for example) as annual leave, is not discussing personal data. That's why the GDPR isn't relevant.

Firms may well have their own internal security processes, which state that they won't discuss anything - but the refusal to discuss any information even if it's not personal data, is not driven by the GDPR.

So really, the people ''roaring'' (laughing?) at the batshittery on this thread, they must all work for very small companies.

Nope - my firm is within the largest 200 of global corporations. As per my PP, there is a difference between GDPR requirements and a firm's choice of internal process. Such internal processes will also be governed to a large extent, by the sector or industry in which you work.

I do work with GDPR and also take refresher courses. This is not, in any way, a breach. DP's details are also online as are his manager's.

DP does not have any hospital appointments etc. coming up.

We're only going for three nights so not a long holiday at all.

Thank you for all of the responses.