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Original poster

Am I going. To be in serious trouble?

75 replies

Whitewhite · 30/01/2021 18:03

I started a new job this week and have been in training. I was given training documents which was emailed to my work account. I’m working from home and the training has been intense and technical.

I wanted to print the documents so I could sit and read them on the couch tonight. I couldn’t link my printer to my work laptop so tried to send the documents to my personal email to print this way.

The email was blocked and an automatic email sent from IT saying I’d breached rules. Now I’m so worried that I’m going to lose my job.

I work for a bank brand new job and was so looking forward to it. Now I’m worried I lose it.

I genuinely didn’t know I was breaching the rules. I just wanted to print the manual to try and read and study to get my head around it.

OP posts:
Unicornsdosparkle · 30/01/2021 18:05

I know it's easy for me to say but try not to worry too much. It could just be a very strong email sensor. Do the documents have any info on that could fall under GDPR regulations?

BubblyBarbara · 30/01/2021 18:06

It's probably something about not transferring bank data on to other networks. Don't panic if it was only a generic manual. Contact your supervisor and clear it up on Monday.

Original poster
Whitewhite · 30/01/2021 18:06

No just general training about the job and what the systems mean and the theory behind the job role.

OP posts:
Idaofmarch · 30/01/2021 18:07

Don't worry. This will be automatic. We gave something similar at our work where you can't send materials (spreadsheets etc) externally without logging it.

Just cover yourself by messaging your manager in the morning with an explanation "sorry about this! Was just emailing them so I could print them out to refer to" and leave it at that.

Marmite27 · 30/01/2021 18:09

It’s generally a given you don’t send work documents to a personal address. There will be a policy about it you were probably supposed to read.

I have a work laptop and even with a working printer attached it won’t print anything due to the security software - did this not give you a clue you were doing something inappropriate?

Own up, it was a mistake. It should be fine.

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 30/01/2021 18:10

If they haven't told you you can't print documents to a personal (non-bank) printer, you've not really done anything you shouldn't.
It could be a 'non-covid normal times' IT restriction that can be overridden by your IT team with the appropriate authorisation,

Speak to your line manager on Monday, explain what you were trying to do, and ask if your home printer can be an "authorised" printer on your system.

If it's a bank, you can well understand that they wouldn't want you printing shed loads of client personal data of unnecessarily, but they have probably developed workarounds for WFH.

mynameiscalypso · 30/01/2021 18:10

I don't think you'll lose your job but you will have breached IT policy - they'll have alerts picking up people who email attachments to personal email addresses to prevent stealing data / insider trading / security breaches plus policies and manuals are generally confidential documents. You could have, for example, be emailing it to a friend who works for a competitor. We're not allowed to do it where I work. You'll probably get a question from IT/your manager and a chance to explain and hopefully that will be it.

Gizlotsmum · 30/01/2021 18:11

We have similar rules, they are a bit more relaxed at the moment as they realise people are not going into offices so less able to print stuff at work, but it is still policy. Just contact your manager and explain, I am sure they will understand.

NotFabulousDarling · 30/01/2021 18:11

In banking this is a major confidentiality error and they come down pretty heavily on that sort of thing. Sorry, I know that's not what you want to hear. If you explain they may let you off. When I worked in banking, we even had separate "confidential" rubbish bins for confidential waste so it didn't end up in landfill, that's how seriously they take this sort of thing.

Marmite27 · 30/01/2021 18:12

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay

If they haven't told you you can't print documents to a personal (non-bank) printer, you've not really done anything you shouldn't. It could be a 'non-covid normal times' IT restriction that can be overridden by your IT team with the appropriate authorisation,

Speak to your line manager on Monday, explain what you were trying to do, and ask if your home printer can be an "authorised" printer on your system.

If it's a bank, you can well understand that they wouldn't want you printing shed loads of client personal data of unnecessarily, but they have probably developed workarounds for WFH.

The work around would be to read them in electronic form on your bank issued device.

There WILL be a policy on this that the OP should have read, it’s naive to think there won’t be.

Unicornsdosparkle · 30/01/2021 18:12

As PP have said I dont think you will get into trouble it's a genuine mistake. Send an email now to your line manager regarding what's happened and why. I'm sure they will understand. Then you will have done ad much as you can until you start work on Monday.

mynameiscalypso · 30/01/2021 18:13

@EveryDayIsADuvetDay

If they haven't told you you can't print documents to a personal (non-bank) printer, you've not really done anything you shouldn't. It could be a 'non-covid normal times' IT restriction that can be overridden by your IT team with the appropriate authorisation,

Speak to your line manager on Monday, explain what you were trying to do, and ask if your home printer can be an "authorised" printer on your system.

If it's a bank, you can well understand that they wouldn't want you printing shed loads of client personal data of unnecessarily, but they have probably developed workarounds for WFH.

We're allowed now to print to a home printer but we're certainly not allowed to email attachments - it's a completely different risk.
EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 30/01/2021 18:14

just re-read your post - my post covid brain not fully in gear, but same goes; worth asking if there is a WFH printing exemption (so that you could have printed from work email) - and explaining what you were tying to do.

FeckTheMagicDragon · 30/01/2021 18:16

I work for an organization with these sort of rules. Tell you manager first thing in the morning, you will be fine. Hiding irregularities is an issue, making a mistake, esp when you are new, isn’t as big a deal. Don’t worry, you will be fine 😊

Marmite27 · 30/01/2021 18:17

As a compliance manager there is absolutely no way I’d allow a new hire to have a printer authorised on their device Shock do you know how much of a breach that would be?

People with 10+ years of exemplary service aren’t allowed to do it Hmm

The OP may not be a fraudster, but don’t doubt that people do this. Particularly now where there’s less supervision. If your details were disclosed in this quite frankly reckless manor how would you feel?

Marmite27 · 30/01/2021 18:18

Manner Blush

Bellofbelfastcity · 30/01/2021 18:21

It’ll be a standard message but you’ll have breached a policy.

Email your manager and explain.

JustAnotherOldMan · 30/01/2021 18:25

Just explain to your manager on Monday and you will be fine

XiCi · 30/01/2021 18:27

You work for a bank, did you really think for 1 second it would be ok to send anything to your personal email and/or print it off? Cant you see what huge breaches this could cause? You will have been sent documents as a new starter that outline the banks policy on Internet usage, data protection etc etc and you will have signed them.
I suggest you come clean to your line manager first thing on Monday and hope that your explanation is enough to satisfy the risk/operations manager

TheInedibleWoman · 30/01/2021 18:27

You wont lose your job. The reason they block work account emails to personal email addresses is so they dont have to risk sacking people for inadvertently exposing/sharing company data. This happens to way more people than you think!

Your best course of action is to let your boss know you received the email as it may be flagged as a potential security breach. And obvs dont try it again!

You havent been able to print the stuff so no harm done.

For context - I work in IT, not currently for a bank but i have previously

You will be fine

goodwinter · 30/01/2021 18:30

Hi OP, I work for a large finance institution doing reports including these type of things - e.g. seeing the # of employees who have sent internal documents to their personal email addresses etc. Given that you work for a bank I imagine the processes are much the same. I would speculate that the likely outcome is probably a word from your manager and maybe an informal warning, assuming that there is no identifying info about customers or confidential/secret company information. It happens more than you think!

goodwinter · 30/01/2021 18:31

^ I will add, be completely upfront and apologetic with your manager and/or anyone that investigates.

TheInedibleWoman · 30/01/2021 18:32

I should say one of the reasons- not the main reason of course 😄

RandomLondoner · 30/01/2021 18:32

Am I the only one wondering if the training documents OP wanted to print for easier readability include the instructions about not emailing to a personal address?

Spodge · 30/01/2021 18:33

The message was blocked, so there should not have been a security breach. I would email your manager to explain what happened, rather than waiting to be questioned.