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!

So I've heard back, no one thinks I've done anything wrong (but haven't said that). They have said the issue is with the person below me not running things by those above (I feel guilty about this and have defended him).
They agree it is dodgy how it's been responded to and that something is amiss. However, the company has bigger fish to fry so will apologise and withdraw all requests.

That's helpful to know. If your junior ran it past you, would you have cleared the FOI anyway? Glad this one did not stick to you.

I think it is fine to withdraw the FOI. It may seem like caving in to threats but you got to pick your battles.

[quote jeppyjop]@blueshoes no, it is impossible for us to poach from this body. It is clear that isn’t the intention either.

Similar requests have been made before and answers on what do they know but it didn’t quite answer our question.

It is important to our personal objectives but not a business one. It is a matter of time before someone else would request the same data as it’s a hot topic.

They are simply not wanting to provide it.

An example would be (please note all examples are fake so far so don’t read into them literally!): we hire a lot of men in this area but want to know why we don’t employ more women. The body is the training provider for the profession - we want to know if it’s because women arent applying or if they have applied and just not been successful in getting on the course. Our aim would then be to train women on how to get on the course as a charitable project.[/quote]
Then you should be using sex and not gender to frame this.

[quote jeppyjop]@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.[/quote]
The organisation releasing info under FOI then have to publish it.

I think the whole thing is really strange - I know that you're trying not be outing but I feel like there's some context here we've missed. Clearly the request is on a sensitive topic (race?) - is there any chance that the question looked offensive or discriminatory itself? Their reaction seems bizarre but then I also think that it was really strange to go straight to a FOI request with no context, and you seem to think they'd have reacted differently if they'd known it was a charitable endeavour, which makes me think that you know what other motive they suspect you of.

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...”
Yes definitely. The process is you make your complaint to the body itself. They then have 20 days to do an internal i investigation on how they responded to you. If you’re still not satisfied with their response the you go directly to the ICO. However, given that your company is on ‘your side’ but will drop the request, it’s probably not something they will be interested in pursuing (though bass on what you’ve said, sounds like it might be in the public interest)

Why would you do what you did instead of just ringing them and asking for info or if they would like to help?

Because the op, said that the only way to get the requested information was through the foi request

It needs to be referred to the ICO who will tell the body what information they have to provide. I personally would also include the scathing email as evidence of intimidation and attempts to evade the process.

But you haven't fucked anything up, OP, and you absolutely should stand your ground.

@bridgetreilly

It needs to be referred to the ICO who will tell the body what information they have to provide. I personally would also include the scathing email as evidence of intimidation and attempts to evade the process.

But you haven't fucked anything up, OP, and you absolutely should stand your ground.

Given that OP has been told to withdraw the request from senior people at work that's only a route to go down if she wants to whistleblow - which maybe she should, if this is in the public interest to the extent she's suggested, but is a big decision to make.