Confidentiality/lax practices- WWYD?

[marriednotdead]

I'm in a new job and am uncomfortable with the lack of discretion shown by one of my managers.
I want to discuss it with the main manager, but am unsure whether I should in case it makes things worse.

I've got to go into hospital next week and it's likely I'll be off work for at least a fortnight, given the nature of my job.

Whether I will can get SSP is in dispute (see thread here) so I've already rocked the boat by questioning that.

I've been told off for calling HR to get their tax reference for tax credits.

I've had a personal letter 'accidentally' opened, despite being marked private and confidential.

My P45 was left lying about for almost a week (needed copying), and when I was sat making a permitted call to HR about the 'private letter- with her listening- I found it on the desk and offered to copy it myself. This spurred her into dealing with it. She then sent it to me via a supervisor, fully open for her to read, to obtain a signature that it didn't need.

I'd explained twice why a copy of another P45 needed to be attached and annotated- I know it hasn't been done so I fully expect to be emergency taxed now

This has all happened in the same day, with the same manager. It may seem trivial, but I am getting the distinct impression that there is a culture where staff are not popular if they dare to question management.

Although I've been open about the nature of my pending absence, I now feel uncomfortable about sending my sicknote to the office, and am inclined to send it direct to HR. I know that will cause ructions though, judging by the above.

Most of the staff are considerably younger than me, and would probably be fine with such behaviour, but I am older and have higher expectations. Is that so wrong?

My DD says it's always like this in the retail sector, and advised me against taking the job because of these kind of lax practices. I love the job and don't want to leave so what do I do?

The manager I have had the issues with and the one I need to speak to seem very pally...

Advice appreciated please

If HR pay your wages, then that's who the sicknote goes to in most places, although it's usually a manager who'll send it via internal mail. What you can do is put it in an envelope addressed to HR and mark it Private and Confidential and it can be sent in the internal mail.

I truly don't trust her not to open it now
They seem to believe that any HR issue has to be run by them first, even if they then have to contact HR as they don't know the answer.

Difficult, difficult situation. I would find it absolutely unacceptable for a manager to 'accidentally' open a letter containing medical details of my absence. But as you say, hard to go against a workplace culture which seems to take such things so lightly.

Is there any way you could contact HR without a manager's knowledge to discuss this?

Now that I've been 'told off' for contacting HR, to do so again would be a red rag to a bull surely?

I do feel that to speak to the main manager has to be my next step but I'm not confident that the situation will be resolved by doing so

Rang and said that I wanted opportunity to speak to main manager before I went off. Was told she may be too busy when I'm in next and that she would call me back.

Missed her call- VM stated that she was returning my call about my impending time off. Person who took the message is clearly psychic as I never said that to them!

Questioned whether I am 'allowed' to call HR. Not really, everything needs to go through office to condense amount of calls they receive. Fair enough. And any sicknotes have to go to office too. It's obvious from her tone that her and the other manager have discussed it all.

I declined to discuss other issues by phone (she sensed there were some) and we will see what Saturday brings.

I feel so stressed and I hate it. It's been years since I had this kind of crap at work and I haven't missed it