QUESTION
Can your diretor suspend you for going into your own file and making copies of some paperwork such as your transcripts, references?
Asked on Oct 30th, 2013 on Labor and Employment - Illinois
More details to this question:
a friend of mines got suspended for going into her file one day to make copies of her transcripts, refererences, background check and etc. Things that she need for when she start looking for another job because she was in process of looking. She didn't keep the originals but just made copies for herself that's all. The only way the director found out is when you when thru my friend folders so basically she start snooping in her things and found the copied items. So when my friend went to work, her boss said she was suspended because that's called theft??? how when she just made copies of her things. Its not even in the handbook that says employees should not make copies of there personal information. Just need some clarity so I can help her out. Her boss didn't tell her how long she will be suspended for and just told her that she will keep in contact
1 ANSWER
4 Awards
Employees are entitled to review their personnel files and get copies of what is in those files. But the proper process is for the employee to make the offical request to see the file or get copies. Your friend's personnel file was probably in a cabinet with other employee files. So, going into that file cabinet was probably disconcerting to the boss who could be worried about what other files your friend may have seen. The office area and the cabinet your friend went into do belong to the company. So arguably, they could argue this was a trespass. Your friend's counter to this was that she is entitled to see her own file, and that is all she did. I would not make a big deal of this unless the suspension goes on for a few more days or she is terminated
Answered on Oct 30th, 2013 at 6:17 PM