Is my boss out of line?

[Onehotmess]

I’ll try to keep it brief!
I’ve been on Mat leave and returned To be told by a colleague that the boss has been through my desk, had everything out on top of the desk from the Drawers. They also told me that the boss threw some things away from my drawers, saying it’s old I don’t need it.
I was looking in boss’ drawers (with permission) for something & found a photocopy of the typed notes I made for a meeting with her. I had printed them out in case I needed to read it out as I thought I would be upset. The issue wasn’t talked about as I had thought so I didn’t bother reading the notes or give her a copy as it wasn’t relevant. ( the notes are perhaps with hindsight, a little ‘snippy’ in tone but nothing to get too worked up about. )
AIBU to be massively pissed that she invaded my privacy and copied a document without permission? Should I take it further?

How long were you off on maternity leave for?

I assume the drawers weren't locked so I think YWBU to leave something like that in there especially over maternity leave but I also see why you feel like your privacy has been invaded.

It wasn’t there the whole time. I went in for a meeting a few weeks ago and put it there. The rifling through drawers was weeks before and the document wasn’t there then so she has been there more than once. Yes I agree I prob shouldn’t have left it in an unlocked drawer. (But it was also inside a folder, not just loose on top of that makes sense)

Your drawers at work are not your private property and your manager or employer is entirely within their rights to go through it. It's not private space so not an invasion of privacy. Much like work email is not private email.

Threw some things away? YANBU that she invaded your privacy. You are a human being, not a machine.

I hope you took them back?

Your workplace is just that - its not private, personal space. If you want to keep private things then you need to take them home with you.

If you've planned to be off for a several months up to maybe a year, surely you'd clean your desk out because it's not unreasonable that someone else might need to use it. I would expect that any stationery I had in there might be taken.

I wouldn't leave anything of a personal nature behind and any personal documentation that was not allowed off the premises, I would give to my line manager to keep safe.

For clarity, the rest of the stuff in my drawers was not of a personal nature- it was outstanding invoices, spare paper, various blank forms, master copies of things, that sort of stuff. My colleague moved to my desk and used the things in the drawers, I wasn’t trying to lock up my desk. It was more the fact that she emptied it all out (but I could get over that) threw stuff away (how does she know I don’t need it?) and then went back another separate time, located, removed photocopied and replaced a document which was not addressed to her. I get that it’s unreasonable to expect no one to go in there it’s more about the document and the purpose of her ‘searches’

I thought about it but then would she accuse me of rummaging in her drawers?! 😳

You had permission to go in her drawer. She surely knows that you've seen the photocopied document. Why don't you speak to her about it. You wrote something because you thought something was going to happen. It didn't happen but you kept it anyway. Maybe she feels hurt or puzzled or aggrieved. So why not clear the air?

It’s a work desk, anyone could’ve gone through its contents, read anything, thrown anything away, wasn’t the person covering your mat leave using the desk?

Yabu to have left anything you thought was private in a desk that wasn’t being used while you were off on mat leave - it belongs to your work, not you.

I'd be upset about this too, though I am really funny about stuff like that so took everything home or stuffed it in my locker before I went on mat leave.
Going through your folder and photocopying something without your permission is completely unacceptable IMO. As you had permission to go through her desk, I would (politely) call her out on it.