HELP work fuck up?

[jeppyjop]

I need to be careful how I phrase this as to not be outing sorry.

I work for a big company in the financial sector. Our small department in this company has an issue with something it shouldn’t so we are trying to help improve it. It’s a charity initiative more than anything but in the early stages of research.

As part of the research we needed more data. A graduate was helping me and we decided to submit a freedom of info request to get some help with our research - it was sent to a public body. All within the law.

An email was sent from the head of the small body to the head of our whole company - it was scathing. Said that if we went ahead with the request, which they’d be legally required to do if we do not withdraw, then they would never work with us (they don’t currently) and would be sure to have “learned about the company”.

Essentially the person has misunderstood why we are needing the info. I assume that it reflects bad on them. Any person could request this info but they would have less reason not to provide it.

I am scared. I am small fry. I don’t know what will happen? I wasn’t asked to send the request or to get someone to. We did it out of initiative and it’s been badly received. But realistically we did nothing wrong.

What would you do? I’ve forwarded it to HR for assistance and help. I’m so worried. I can’t sleep and I will have to wait for next steps in the morning.

The worst part is that my research was my ticket to promotion. Not sure anymore!

@BexR the data would never be seen outside of our small group of 6 people, that’s what is annoying. It is simply to help notify an issue that is occurring in our department - the head of department wanted data to back up our charitable initiative.

I'm amazed that they sent this response. Wow.
You're not at all in the wrong here

@YukoandHiro just to say, the body has never heard my name and will never know about my existence. This wasn’t me, I was just leading the person who has received the backlash.

Anyone would request this info. Literally anyone and others have requested something very similar many times before. We just needed a slightly different angle. They release the final data every year and it’s always in the news, we wanted the data for the step before the final numbers. They would have this data available.

A stupid example is that we want to know how many kitchen staff they have. Every year they release the number of kitchen staff at the year end, we want to know how many were there at the beginning.

I’d contact your CEO’s PA and summarise the circumstances. It sounds like a fairly standard request and an OTT reaction.

[quote jeppyjop]@ScotchBunnet I am in shock. I wish my company would support the request but they will apologise and withdraw it I am certain (they’ve already said that’s what we will do. But awaiting HR)

We don’t normally send FOI as far as I’m aware. Maybe that’s why.

My DP is going to now request the same thing from his email as he works in public sector also. It’s a standard request.

After my work have decided what to do is there a way to report the threats? It’s very blatant “if you do not withdraw it, then I will have no choice but to make assumptions about your ethos...”[/quote]
Your DP?

Just NO! Why would you even consider doing something like that? Totally unprofessional.

the head of department wanted data to back up our charitable initiative

Well then it’s the head of department’s responsibility to contact the CEO. The CEO needs to know the context. It seems like a perfectly reasonable request, and a massive over-reaction.

Def ditch the DP idea - really stupid.

Legally, anyone can ask a FoI question for any reason. The responding body isn't allowed to discriminate based on that.

They can decline to disclose based on commercial reasons (loss to themselves), but this does not appear to be the case with your enquiry.

We probably should have explained it’s a charitable initiative

Communication was key, here. You outlined how the research could actually be used to benefit them. Why didn’t your assistant send them an e mai explaining the project, the intended outcome, treat them as collaborators and offer them confidently? And FOI Request is seen as very hostile, and won’t have been contextualised.

I would prepare a short report on the nature of your project, intended outcomes and how the data could improve those outcomes for the body you requested info from. And send it to the CEO ASAP with an offer to provide any further info as requested.

The recipient did behave very badly, that is true, but if I were your CEO, if a relationship with this body is important AND your project is worthwhile, I would want to see if the fire can be extinguished before the bridge is burned.

Not my idea regarding DP btw - he is aware of my panic and finds it outrageous. The information is useful in his job too.

Someone will request the data I know that. People want to know the answer!

@RainingBatsAndFrogs I’m not sure the relationship is worthwhile to be honest, unless there’s something dodgy I’m unaware of. It’s purely that no one wants the bother.

Communication was key - but as I said, I never sent the request. Internally it’s just been said the new person could have phrased it better but that’s all.

Tell your DP to lay off.

If he wanted to know why didn’t he try and find out she’s ago?

Decisions like that made in the heat of high dudgeon rarely come without unintended consequences.

The difference between putting in an informal request and a FOI is that the former has no time limit. You are not stretching their presumably already stretched resources when they are a small organisation in COVID times for some unknown unexplained reason.

Even if people are entitled to issued FOIs, you don't expect that from a company who you see is on your side, particularly since it is not a business critical request on your part. No doubt their head overreacted, but immediately going for the nuclear option of FOI does not respect the relationship. But maybe the relationship is not important to your organisation anyway, so FOI it is.

My DP is going to now request the same thing from his email as he works in public sector also. It’s a standard request.

Wow, no. Starting to see why you get unhelpful reactions from people!

OP, you f*d up, but it is not likely something against code of conduct or any internal rules. Wait and see. You meant well and did nothing illegal. Most likely outcome would be a conversation with a head of department where you would be slightly reprimanded. Just accept there will be no promotion this year, but it definitely doesn't sound like a fireable offense

Now I really want to know what and who it is... go on OP.

Tell your DP not to get involved. Can't you see how inflammatory this will come across?

You've got a situation. You surely want to calm it down so that you keep your job, you get the info you're after and then working relationship between your org and the public body continue smoothly.

Your DP's involvement will have the opposite effect.

I'm not going to get DP involved at all and would never want him to. I do know that it is being researched by his work though so I know that it is a matter of time before the same request is made.

I want to say - the body does not have limited resources. They are a very prestigious and wealthy body.

@lwonder I genuinely don't actually think I've fucked up. It is the only way to get the data. That is known.

@CorianderLord

Now I really want to know what and who it is... go on OP.

I bet £1 it's Oxford or Cambridge...

OP, you fd up*

I don’t think she has at all. OP, I would not be able to rest without seeing this through.

Personally I would send that email to both the Information Commissioner and a good journalist.

👍 They should not be able to get away with this blackmail.

@Billben

OP, you fd up*

I don’t think she has at all. OP, I would not be able to rest without seeing this through.

Personally I would send that email to both the Information Commissioner and a good journalist.

👍 They should not be able to get away with this blackmail.

I would if I could...unfortunately the emails were never meant for me, it was forwarded to me. So I would get others in trouble. I also would definitely risk my job then, which I can't afford. If I leave the company soon I would leak it - it's outrageous.

Oxford would never respond to an FOI with a threat.

I reply to FOI as part of my job, it’s is totally inappropriate for the head of that company to complain about receiving it and I’d be tempted to report to the information commissioner. We get all manner of FOI and as the spender of public money we have an obligation to reply, regardless of whether we feel they are annoying or not! It’s the law. I am actually gobsmacked by this. Whilst you may not have followed process and this may have caused bizarre bad feeling you’ve done nothing wrong. I can sense you are stressed though and if your company doesn’t understand FOI’s then her response might make them believe they’ve done something wrong. I’d phone the information commissioner office, dont give any names but they’ll advise you what’s standard procedure, having that info will
Make you feel more confident that you haven’t f up badly here, good luck!

No one has guessed correctly and I definitely wouldn't say if they had - so no point with that. I don't want to insinuate a company such as those mentioned would do this by not denying it, so yes - denied.

On reflection, you're right OP, I was very cheeky to speculate and I shouldn't have.