My employer breaks open my personal cabinet at work without my permission while I'm on medical leave. Help!?

Question

I'm working in Shanghai while I am in Singapore now recovering from a surgery and am on medical leave.

My co-worker called to tell me about what my boss did (Above). Anybody around here knows what are my rights and what should I do?

I've been told that my boss wants to keep my cabinet opened and unlocked, this is a concern for me as I have important personal documents and belongings kept there. How do I solve this matter without getting my colleagues in trouble? (I am not supposed to be in the know about what has happened.)

HELP!

Answer 1

not sure on the laws in Shanghai but generally there are no expectations of privacy in the workplace for employees. employers have every right to do what they want in their office.

Answer 2

I am unsure about laws in Singapore, however if you do not work for the state there is not much you can do.

Lockers, desks, cabinets, and other office equipment at work belongs to your employer. This means they are within their rights to open your locker whenever they want. If you are in need of storing important documents I would look into a safe deposit box or something similar.

Answer 3

unfortunately - the filing cabinet is company property and should have never been used for personal documents. At least in the U.S. this is perfectly legal. You do not have any expectation of privacy when the property is owned by the company and hold company information.... now if this was a desk drawer than you would have a different issue since there would not be anything in that drawer that would concern the company.

Answer 4

You should never keep your personel things at work. Your job is a business and everything there SHOULD be left open. Plus many people use offices while others are gone and some never plan on letting you come back. Its nothing you can do about it besides get a family member or friend to get your personel things out of the office.

Answer 5

If you were ever given an employee manual it may have said that any company areas were subject to search. In the future try no to leave personal documents in your cabinet. Call you boss and ask if you can assist him in what he was looking for, at least you'll know what they were looking for.

Answer 6

It is not your cabinate, it belongs to your boss/company, and they have a legal right to open it.

You can't do anything. This has been tried and tested in court. You have no right to privacy at work. Leave important/personal documents at home or in a safe deposit box.

Answer 7

I would make an unexpected stop by work to "pick up" something that you need. Then when you see your cabinet is open, ask questions. I know your employer has the right to go into your drawers, but they do not have the right to go through anything with your name on it.

Answer 8

My question is what was in the cabinet? Did your boss need to get in there to get something? As people have said you really don't have "personal" space at work. Even saying this I think that most of us do keep "personal" papers or belongings at work. When you go back to work I'd collect all of my personal things & take them home & leave them there.

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Answer 9

Don't keep important personal documents at the office. I would take them home. Unless you buy you own cabinet that you keep at work, you don't really have a leg to stand on.

Answer 10

At work you don't have personal space, everything is open to your employer, emails, desk, tool box etc etc....if you are concerned about the contents, have one of your work mates remove your personal things and care for them while you are on leave....