I've seen some defamatory emails my boss sent to Personnel about me at work - what can I do?

Question

I have had to juggle two jobs where I work - that of IT Trainer and Secretary to a solicitor. This solicitor made it plain he didn't like me training others. I know I shouldn't, but I managed to see some emails he'd sent about me to Personnel which were defamatory and untrue. What can I do? I really shouldn't have seen these emails but I feel they could be the reason that I have been overlooked for more senior training roles in the company. Help!

Answer 1

I am also a legal sec, could you not say that you needed to access your boss's emails to retrieve one that he should have would have forwarded to you, he wasn't in the office. Don't know how it works at your place of work but my boss doesn't mind if I access her emails as she is often sent reports etc which I need to forward onto court.

Answer 2

Since you weren't supposed to see the emails, there is no way you can directly confront the boss, or bring the issue to anyone in the company, or you could end up fired, and with cause. However, now you know for sure what your boss thinks about you, you can make efforts to change his opinion.

is your 'second job" officially one of IT Trainer, or is it a responsibility you have taken on yourself because you can and you enjoy it better than the secretarial tasks? If you have no official responsibilities in that function you could bring the idea up to personnel that an official IT trainer is necessary, and you are willing to create the role, and function in it exclusively, freeing your boss to have a dedicated assistant. If you prefer IT and training to secretarial work, consider it as a field you should be pursuing and look for a more compatible job than the one you have.

Answer 3

Under the Data Protection Act you have a right to see your file. You should put your request to personell in writing and you may be charged (My company charges £10.00) to see it but it will be worth it.
If the emails are untrue take your boss to court as it is highly unproffesional of your employers to do this.

Answer 4

Classic idiot boss. Apply for a job at another company and get offered it. Then take a copy of the email (you must have a copy, its not good enough to say you saw it) and then find out about suing them for constructive dismissal - you might get some money out of it.

But make sure you have another job to go to. And go to it whatever the outcome.

Answer 5

Is there anyway you could have seen these files without you telling someone how you really found them e.g you saw it on your bosses computer? I know its not very honest but then neither is he being as he should not be doing things like this. Or explain to someone above him what you saw and they maybe able to check these emails. hope this helps.

Answer 6

chance your luck with him am be as diverse and challenging at every possible minute opertunity and encourage as much **** his way, anyway. When stress levels are nice and high, throw in the odd calm remark, winking and provocative behaivior all with regulation theatrical denial.
Remember to smile when the looony van comes to take him his holidays.

Answer 7

There is nothing you can do because if you say you saw the e-mail you can be let go.

What you can do is go to H/R and ask them what you need to do to be promoted to Senior Training.

Answer 8

Start circulating e mails about your boss,,I mean do collegues know at weekends he likes to get dressed up and loves to be called Susan

Answer 9

it depends how you saw these emails... were you sent them by mistake or did you see them while the boss was out and you sneaked into his office and accesed his files?

Answer 10

Re-write the emails so they ring with glowing praise of your work. Then sit back and enjoy the promotion. If Bismarck could alter telegrams and unify Germany, you can do the same with emails.