Michael Rockefeller Net Worth, Opm Annuity Statement Deduction Code 31, Articles C

Communications professionals are privy to so many deals and information that cant be divulged to even spouses until they become public. Even innocuous-sounding information, like the name of a database, can be a huge security risk. Your employer lost control of this information, even in a very small way, and thats a big deal. Weve all made mistakes. I think one can be upset at not getting a second chance without feeling necessarily entitled to one. This is a tough lesson to learn. Ive heard complaints from folks who arent allowed to give positive references to former coworkers who earned them. A good . Because, if you did the first apology option then I think it would be (more) possible youd get a 2nd chance. If it was the 2nd option then, yeah, they were going to let you go. If I were you, I would examine WHY I decided to tell my journalist friend the info. If that puts it in perspective. This is essential to sanction the employee and also send out a clear . Same here. LW best of luck! I even tell friends this who work in classified situations and I dont even report the news anymore.). OPs best bet is to stop blaming their coworker or minimizing what happened. I didnt read it that way, its not a question of the coworker being Untrustworthy, its a matter of the OP not being able to judge who she can trust to keep things quiet. Box-ticking SA&T wont change security behaviors. Especially since the letter seems to have been written almost immediately after the incident, before their feelings had time to settle properly. Im sure they thought she was a fruit cake. This kind of reaction from the company screams 'serious laws broken' and there aren't many other possibilities on what these laws maybe. But if I found out a coworker was sharing this information with just anyone it would be a probably HIPAA violation and, yes, I would need to tell my boss. Going forward definitely own this mistake and explain that you are freaking Fort Knox going now to new employers, knowing now the seriousness of such a transgression. If someone preempts that, theyre not happy about it generally. Screw-ups happen. (Obviously it would have been best not to give her journalist friend the info to begin with.) You will bounce back! But it sounds like it doesnt really matter that HR jumbled the details because neither was a permitted thing to do anyway. Heres another the state Supreme Court will probably make a decision on voting district gerrymandering soon., (This one happened to me, and was probably the most exciting confidential information I got access to my desk was close enough to the GIS employees that I could see the increased traffic out of their area and infer that Something was Happening. Journalists are very charasmatic and will fish for info its their job. Nothing I said contradicts this. Regardless of what word you use when you disclose what happened, understanding that difference, owning up to it, and showing how you've changed as a result is your best hope of gaining future employment. Breach of confidentiality can be described as an act of gross misconduct, so deal with issues that arise in a timely manner, in line with your procedures and look at any previous cases to ensure fairness and consistency. This was actually a very kind way to get this point across. I think that WAS her second chance, and I think something she said at the meetings (perhaps about how the problem is the coworker for being a rat) blew that second chance. I admit to being incredibly curious as well. Discretion and brand protection are as critical to this role as promotion and talking to the media. Not all non-public information is expected to be treated like a state secret, assuming youre not dealing with actual classified information or NDAs. I think interviewers will pick up on the equivocation in your language here. ! but you just cant. that should be a firing offense. You wrote, The only reason I got fired was because I was ratted out by a coworker for a victimless mistake and was fired unfairly. But you werent fired because your coworker reported you; you were fired because you broke a serious rule. I feel your pain. I tell the character and imagine their response, and the urge to share subsides. Its a great professional resource with a lot of professional development around ethics. You know thats not how that works. You got a hard hit, and I am sorry for all the difficulty that causes. FOIA and open records requests are really big deals. And if weve learned anything from this letter, its that information thats supposed to be kept secret isnt always. From a government point of view, the only thing that matters is this: LW was trusted to handle confidential information and keep it inside the agencys control; instead she passed that information to someone outside that permission (whose job is to disseminate information to the public!) That doesnt seem to be you, which is a great sign. I just wasn't thinking at the moment I sent the information. We wont tell anyone. Because they turned out to not be trustworthy. I think its also something to do with the fact that if you tell a journalist something newsworthy, youre not just talking, youre offering a thing of (potential) value, which is an entirely different action from sharing news with a friend. Its always easier, at least to me, to close your mouth than open it. Its like pain (heck, it IS pain); its telling you something important. You will find another employer who will trust you and will give you that chance to shine for them. Yup. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. If not, that would be an additional reason for your bosses to take the maximum option to respond. Its not a big career risk for her friend the way it is for her, but depending on what the information was, it could have put the friend in an awkward position. If a member of your staff violates this explicit. You simply let the sender know you've received it by accident, then they can rectify their mistake and you can delete the email. That said, is there any reason you need to answer these questions? You cant even take a look at *your own* records if you are also a patient at the medical facility. Please keep us updated and let us know how things work out for you. Confidentiality, especially in government, is no joke and should be taken very seriously. And I told Mom, so so so many times that I didnt build it myself! That may not be the right wordbut Im having trouble finding the right one. When dad got on the phone he explained to the person that he understood the situation and that he was going to have to report him because he gave my mother classified information. This is a long way to go for a publicity stunt. The type of sanctions that Contract Killer is talking about would only apply to confidential records, not non-public records. Its to prevent covering of tracks or retaliation or extinction bursts (Im about to be caught for X may as well make the punishment worthwhile and do Y and Z too, or if they are acting with deliberate malign intent Im caught, better leak as much as possible asap). how do I get out of an active-shooter drill at my office? The thing is though, you dont get credit for leaking to a trustworthy person who decides not to hang you out to dry. Letter writer: If youre still dealing with this emotionally, focus on the facts. We dont know if the coworker intentionally or mistakenly misrepresented the scope of OPs disclosure. I was fired for technically breaking a rule but it was my first offense, and nothing bad actually happened, and Im definitely learned my lesson. Im not sure what the best way is to address this, but were trying! trouble, it doesnt seem applicable. They fell prey to the Its just a quick peek and it wont hurt anybody fallacy. Before I was born, there was a project where mother had to get clearance as well. The anger I hold for my coworker is something I will deal with over time. In such cases, the employee should be given the benefit of the doubt. And Im pointing out that it wasnt a record at all. And then THAT person got so excited that they just had to tell someone Each person thinks theyre only telling one other person, and that they can trust that person. Don't worry, you're not alone. This includes understanding what you did wrong and explaining how you might have approached this in future (hint: ask boss, transfer via encrypted USB if necessary and allowed. She would ask every rep if they were using TEAPOT o service accounts, and would proudly exclaim, My daughter built TEAPOT! She thought she was connecting with the people who helped her. It was spur of the moment and, as soon as I realized what Id done I circled back to her to clarify that that information was confidential. Thats another instant firing, even if the information isnt ever misused. Was alphabet city watching his ass, no idea. Even if healthcare providers and business associates are compliant to HIPAA Standards, there is always a possibility of unintentional or accidental disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI). whatever you think is appropriate] to make sure it doesnt happen again.. And even more so in ballistic missile submarines! I dont think your coworker ratted you out. about your coworker reporting you, betrayed and hard done by, is the way your employer feels about you. My company is not going to jeopardize a $500M/yr contract over my mouth. Thats pretty ratty behavior. But doing so would likely out the department LW worked for, and probably LW herself. When theres something I really want to share with my wife, I mask it, pretty much what we do here talking about how the client invested in llama shearings, or called up asking about rumours of purple llamas, or asked us to sell all their teapots that kind of thing. The letter makes it look like you only told one person out of turn, but actually you told two people. It simply means that your employees are not to disclose proprietary information or data about your company to another person without your consent. never actually say the words Gross Misconduct. It makes me so happy that I had to tell someone is a reason to text them, OMG, huge news that I cant tell you, but you will be SOOOOO happy when its in the papers in a few days! Not to actually, yknow, tell them the private information. I actually think your big mistake was telling your coworker, not telling a trusted friend. I always assumed the phrase meant no feelings are incorrect, and it made a lot less sense than the way youve laid it out! This will suck for a long time writing this post has made me feel anxious thinking about my own lapses and consequences from years ago but it all works out in the end. The secretary is going to be featured at [cool upcoming event]! If each person tells just one person it can end up being a lot of people. Perhaps over official lines it could be interpreted by the journalist as on the record comments. You certainly don't need to blurt out a 5 minute monologue unprompted, but you do want to be ready to answer these questions because they will come up if you disclose what happened as you intend to. You can get past this, if you learn from the experience. Our grant program is going to be fully funded by Congress! Unfortunately there are certain positions where you dont get a second chance when the error knowingly breaking a rule. Im also miffed by the fact that the coworker kinda blind sided OP. And then there are things you cannot even hint at under any circumstances. I ran across an old letter recently where someone had negotiated themselves into a poor position, and hit on dragging some subordinates out there on the plank with her. You need to be ready to show that you understand that you have responsibility to understand and comply with policy, and that you're willing to do that. But sending e-mails about a seemingly innocuous hobby cost one . In jobs that require non-disclosure, active disclosure is a very big deal. Hopefully whatever she disclosed doesnt violate a public access law, since the information was released publicly shortly afterward, but wow did she dodge a bullet. Employees can't just post anything they want on Facebook or anywhere else. nsx advanced load balancer documentation; . Note: You dont want to frame this as It would have been made public eventually so I did nothing wrong. Your tone is still very much acknowledging that you messed up. Pro tip: when working in mental health residential treatment, do not have clients write your staff logs. Are there any reasons why the coworker couldnt be upfront with what had to be done ? I was trying to disagree with the idea that it puts journalists in a terrible position to receive off-the-record info, not that it would ameliorate the employers concern. Personal info is never OK to share with anyone, or things that could lead to recognizing a person if someone happens to know that person (and you never know who knows who). I hope there are things at your job that are exciting to you! I think thats misunderstanding the severity of why what OP did was not ok. Theres any number of non-confidential matters that are embargoed prior to their public announcement.