Workplace Privacy

[Shani0075]

Jurisdiction

Washington

I need to know if my former employer broke some kind of law. I had a domestic violence situation at home and the abuser was charged and the case was in the court system. I had also received a protective order against the person. This was all personal, as in not work related. My boss had a friend that works at the courthouse who recognized my name as an employee and called my boss as a friend to tell her she saw my name in some documents and then proceeded to tell my boss about the case. I hadn't yet decided to share anything with my boss or coworkers as I was trying to work through the situation and it was very painful and private. My boss confronted me the next day with the information she got from her friend. She proceeded to tell me I had an obligation to tell her because of the protection order. She was also upset with me for just not sharing this incident with her in general. She then told me I needed to share all of this information with my coworker who also worked with me in the office. Basically making me feel like I had no choice but to share information about what happened even though I felt like it was a private and personal situation. They felt they had a right to know everything. Was it legal for my boss's friend who worked at the courthouse to share my information with my boss on a personal level and was it legal for my boss to confront me, be upset with me and make me feel I had to share with my coworker? This is also a boss and coworker who have openly discussed other employees personal business with each other and in front of me. Are there any ethics she violated?

 

[cbg]

I asked a friend who is a former court worker to review your post with regards to the boss's friend at the courthouse. She said, and I quote:
"Most actions in courts are public record. Whether she violated some policy of that specific court system would be up to that specific jurisdiction. I'm sure there is some ethical hand smacking that could happen, but I doubt anything illegal happened."

As for your boss talking to you, no, that is not even close to illegal. I understand it was embarrassing but I can think of some valid reasons why the boss needed to know and might have thought your co-worker had a need to know.

 

[hrforme]

I have to agree with cbg that there are valid reasons as to why you should have informed at least your boss if not your coworker due to the protective order/abuse so that they could be aware and watchful since they are around you a good part of the day.

 

[Betty3]

What if the person shows up at work looking for you?(Some people do disobey the order.) Your boss really should have been informed of the protective order.