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Original poster

Advice

179 replies

SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 29/07/2017 21:17

I was sacked this week. The week before I made a complaint to my boss that the company IT man had been logging onto my worktop whilst I was using it at home. My friends husband (who runs an IT company)confirmed this by looking at the logs for the remote access.

What I did not realise is that the IT man in question is my ex-bosses brother in law. I am unsure if this is a criminal offence or not and whether I should pursue it?

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 11:52

It doesn't matter when he was on though, or that you can prove it. All the company has to say is " yes he was, it's my computer and I allowed him to". Then it's game over. becayse factually that's correct. It's theirs and they can do as they please with it.

Mychildcouldnotbreaatfeed · 30/07/2017 11:52

How is going after them going to help you get a decent reference?

Have you union support? Or cover under house insurance?

SpartacusSaiman · 30/07/2017 11:53

Also his record isnt relevant and wont help your case in the first instance.

If its related AND there is a case it maybe relevant. Plenty of people in the work place have gone to prison and dont commit more crime. You cant use that as a starting place

Plenty of people in the work place do illegal things and have never been to prison. It doesnt add to how guilty he is.

Not sure about the internet provider stuff. I would have thought the police would have to request it. Although as its your interney connection i would have thought they could just give it to you. Not sute just having a crime number would change anything.

Mychildcouldnotbreaatfeed · 30/07/2017 11:53

Were you actually employed or were you self employed ?

Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 11:54

+A few people are mentioning contracts - I was never given, shown or signed any contracts for anything*

It's irrelevant, unless you were under the impression they gifted you the lap top and car and it was no longer theirs, then you knew it was company equipment and they could do as they please with it.

As said, I think the issue is you think it's yours.

As for the sacking, it's rare for someone to sack a good performer. Was there something else going on?

Original poster
SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 30/07/2017 11:55

I was employed.

OP posts:
SpartacusSaiman · 30/07/2017 11:56

You said he fired you for numbers not adding up.

Is that not reaching targets or suggesting you falsified your figures. The dismissal may need to be dealt with separately. As thats not a police matter.

Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 11:57

For it to be illegal the company would have to report it to the police. There is no crime if the company says yes we gave him access and he was doing his job on our equipment.

Original poster
SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 30/07/2017 11:57

No nothing else going on. Right up until I made the complaint he was singing my praises and even said that I had exceeded the expectation.

OP posts:
Evalina · 30/07/2017 11:59

There are very strict guidelines on what employers can do.. www.worktime.com/european-union-eu-employee-monitoring-laws-what-can-and-cant-employers-do-in-the-workplace/

Mychildcouldnotbreaatfeed · 30/07/2017 11:59

Once you were told he was montoritjng everything in the company why didn't you stop using the laptop for personal stuff

Original poster
SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 30/07/2017 12:01

It wasnt him who sacked me he got his daughter and the office manager to do it. I knew it was coming as neither of them had spoken to me for the previous 2 days and so when I got back to the office and they called me upstairs she simply said 'we've been looking at your figures and they dont add up' i knew straight away it was the only excuse they could come up with and that it was her way of saying I had been sacked and so then I just said 'right, what about the car then' and she said 'yeh we need it now so ill call you a taxi'. That was it, no discussion nothing.

OP posts:
TennisAtXmas · 30/07/2017 12:03

it was company equipment and they could do as they please with it.
Two people have said this, really not true at all - the law applies to companies just like it does for individuals.

Evalina · 30/07/2017 12:03

OP please do not listen to Bluntness100 and instead read the link in my last post. Then go and speak to the police and get their advice..

Original poster
SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 30/07/2017 12:03

I was mostly using the lap top for work stuff. I would be out on the road all day and then get home and spend a couple of hours typing up quotes, putting orders on etc. I would be making dinner and sorting my kids out at the same time so the lap top was just left open. I rather ignorantly had no idea that someone could actually log in and listen and watch.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 12:04

If you were fired as they said you were falsifying your sales numbers, and I assume thus claiming more commission than you were entitled to, and told to leave immediately then this is something else entirely.

Of course they would be pleased with you in the run up to it until, they knew otherwise, Could the it guy have been in the computer because he was checking if you had falsified your numbers? And this is why the boss looked uncomfortable? He was looking for evidence and knew what was going on and why he was accessing the lap top at weird hours?

Can you prove you did not falsify your numbers? Because yes, if they have evidence or think you were stealing from them then it will impact future career if they need to give a reference.

Original poster
SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 30/07/2017 12:04

Thank you Evalina, Ill read the link now.

OP posts:
SpartacusSaiman · 30/07/2017 12:05

I have a feeling, as the emoloyer is so bent, they will have paperwork saying the OP was aware of monitoring.

Its such a difficult one. And when it comes out the OP was misusing the laptop (so security risk) I dont think it will go anywhere.

Original poster
SlightlyfreakedouT1 · 30/07/2017 12:05

I did not falsify any of my figures. This would have been impossible to do given the system they used.

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 12:06

I just said 'right, what about the car then

What? Why would you just say that? The normal reaction would be to defend yourself and prove your numbers added up, not just ask if you can keep the car.

Mychildcouldnotbreaatfeed · 30/07/2017 12:06

So they didn't actually say you were sacked and you just left?

Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 12:07

The daughter who fired you is the woman who is married to the IT guy you called a pervert and complained about?

SpartacusSaiman · 30/07/2017 12:08

It sounds like they accuses you of falsifying numbers. You didnt really disagree with them either.

If I had to let someone go for potential fraud i would expect them to at least defend themseleves

How easy wouldbit be for them to falsify figures? Or is there a chance they could prove that?

Nearly10to9 · 30/07/2017 12:08

The laptop was a company one yes but I was never given a contact or shown any of the company policies. I used the laptop for music when I was in the shower and would sit in bed semi naked reading the news and what have you

Really? who uses a WORK laptop for music in the shower???

Bluntness100 · 30/07/2017 12:08

So they didn't actually say you were sacked and you just left?

This. Who just says right and leaves when accused of theft.

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