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AIBU?

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Original poster

As a line manager can I demand to see someone's Facebook pages?

277 replies

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 21/02/2009 19:31

Because someone who works with me took three days off recently due to "a stomach bug".

I've been told her Facebook pages say she went away for a few days and got pissed with her friends.

Assuming she doesn't own up when I confront her, can I insist on seeing her Facebook pages? If there's no such stuff on there, why would she hide it?

What do you think?

OP posts:
wotulookinat · 21/02/2009 19:42

And as for the person that told you, well no-one likes a grass.

SparkyFartDust · 21/02/2009 19:42

if her taking days off 'sick' is becoming an issue then you need to tell her you have to raise it with Oc Health.

Leo9 · 21/02/2009 19:42

agree with hf, if it's taxpayers money being spent in your organisation you must be working within a professional framework. You should use the professional recourse available to you and only that.

captainpeacock · 21/02/2009 19:42

Absolutely not to the facebook pages, but surely you can tackle her absence record in other ways if it excessive.

paolosgirl · 21/02/2009 19:43

If I were her boss I would seek guidance from HR. If I were her colleague I'd be pissed off, but would have to bite my tongue - it's not a colleagues place to do anything, frustrating though it may be.

Who told you it was on her Facebook?

morningpaper · 21/02/2009 19:44

she probably logs on automatically at work

in which case you could distract her with a doughnut and check

or something

or ask your mole to print out the offending pages

beanieb · 21/02/2009 19:45

No you can't, but as a line manager if it's a regular thing you can give the person a warning - and should if you are a good line manager

hf128219 · 21/02/2009 19:45

I'd still like to see her Facebook pages!

nkf · 21/02/2009 19:46

I rhink you should take advice from someone in HR. Is it legal to ask? What are the protocols for acting on gossip? How should the request be worded? That sort of thing.

starkadder · 21/02/2009 19:46

I think you can't really ask to see her FB.

How sure are you that she was taking the piss?

If very sure you can't just leave it either.

Maybe you could sit her down and say that it has come to your attention that she may not really have been ill (if you can do this without causing suspicious atmosphere in the office), that it isn't fair on anyone else or on the taxpayer, and you'd like her to explain why she felt she had to lie - perhaps also that you're reluctantly considering a policy (if you are in a position to do this?) of demanding doctor's notes for people to take more than 1 sick day - but don't want to have to resort to that. If it is at all possible to get her to see how unhelpful her behaviour is from your/the team's point of view rather than being totally selfish, I'd try for that.

eyeeye · 21/02/2009 19:47

OF course it's not reasonable. It is totally and utterly without reason no matter what the provocation.

You can ask her directly and openly. You can say "It has been brought to my attention that you were not actually ill when you last took time out of the office but were socialising, would you like to take this opportunity to tell me the truth?"

But if she says she was ill you will just have to tell her that you have to accept that. You can then monitor future behaviour patterns.

ROFL at the thought of having access to facebook - it'd be like telling her to bring you all her post over the last 2 weeks so that you can read it.

ThePregnantHedgeWitch · 21/02/2009 19:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

screamingabdab · 21/02/2009 19:47

I can see that you'd want to must be v. annoying, but in no way do I think you can insist. You are her Manager, not her mum fer gawds sake!

Maybe speak to Human Resources

TrillianAstra · 21/02/2009 19:48

Is there some standardised procedure for dealing with suspicious sick leave? Annoyingly you can't really ask to look at her Facebook any more than you could ask to read her post - it's private.

justneedsomesleep · 21/02/2009 19:48

of course not...
facebook is not something you demand to see simply because she may or may not have lied -it's content is no way related to your job..

SnowlightMcKenzie · 21/02/2009 19:49

I used to work for a local council. Most of my collegues would talk about how many sick days they had left and make sure they took 'their full entitlement'.

Look, you can't ask to see her facebook pages. It'll make you look silly. She could deny she was on FB or show you bogus pages or simply tell you to feck off. People aren't always honest on FB anyway.

If she has a terrible sick record you need to discuss this with her and then follow the procedures for OH.

If her sick record is covering something else i.e problems at home etc. then trying to get to the bottom of it to help her structure her work more flexibly perhaps could improve the situation.

justneedsomesleep · 21/02/2009 19:49

gawd....what did we do before we had facebook?

nickschick · 21/02/2009 19:54

uabVVVVVVu

I dont really think that you should be on a forum asking this.

Even if she does say on her F.B its not hard fast evidence people do lie on their pages.

Whoever told you is a snitch and not to be trusted theyd stab you in the back too given a chance.

glucose · 21/02/2009 19:55

I think you need some sort of supervision in your line management skills if you even think that demanding this of your team members would be acceptable

fluffles · 21/02/2009 19:55

I think it would be out of order. I have never taken a sickie in my life and my FB has no drunken photos just lots of mountain biking, camping and skiing ones - yet i'd be pretty about my boss asking to see my FB page. In fact, i don't think i'd show her as i don't feel she has any right to know what i'm doing out of work time....

So i don't think you could take a refusal as an admission of guilt.

If she is guilty she will refuse and even if she's not she'd probably refuse (like me) so there's nothing to be gained. Instead you'll have to use proper performance management techniques, back to work interviews, Occupational Health if you're 'worried' that she is more sick than is normal etc.

IWishIWasAFrog · 21/02/2009 19:56

YABU, it has nothing to do with you. It's an invasion of privacy. She would not do it to begin with if she didn't think she'd get away with it. So improve you management style instead of snooping in someone's private life.

tiggerlovestobounce · 21/02/2009 19:58

That would be very unreasonable thing to do, which would, IMO, reflect poorly on you as a manager.

hf128219 · 21/02/2009 19:59

I really can't believe the OP would ask the question in the first place!

Although there are certain jobs where do have to be completely transparent in everything you do. Certain jobs don't even permit you to be on FB. And jobs where you have to have Developed Vetting they can ask for anything they like - banks statements et al!

glucose · 21/02/2009 20:00

Are you actually someone who has done this on your facebook page and worried your manager may demand to see it?

Because I am not sure what is more stupid this post or putting on facebook the fact that you are pulling a three day sickie.

glucose · 21/02/2009 20:01

hf128219 do you wear a hat to work?

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