I believe that the HR manager has unlawfully shared confidential info to other EEs. How can I protect myself?

Question

At my company the Accounting Manager handles HR functions. Her daughter is the A/P assistant. I have learned that she has shared confidential information regarding other employees with her daughter before (pending reprimands and layoffs).

Last year I had to submit a doctors note to explain a recent 3 day absence, the details of which are not known outside my family (no co-workers, or even friends). Based on some recent comment/jokes made by the daughter, it seems highly probable that she received this information from her mother, the Accounting Manager.

I am very angry and want to complain, but worry about upsetting senior management and possibly jeopardize my future at the company. She has worked at the company for 18 years and is very good friends with the owner and his wife.

FWIW, I just received a 25% raise last month (20% the year before, when I was promoted to a permanent employee), so my performance record is quite strong.

Answer 1

The next time a comment is made ask her why she would say such a thing. Find out your state laws regarding workplace privacy so if it happens again, you will have something concrete to come back with about violating personal privacy laws. If she's running her mouth about you chances are she's doing it everyone else too.