I’m under investigation at work after a former employee, who was recently fired, sent private texts to our VP, CEO, and others. The texts were just me venting about management, but now I’m worried it might cost me my job. The employee also accused me of looking at her salary info and talking about her disability. I work in HR and have access to this kind of data as part of my role. I’ve been told not to delete anything related to her while they figure out what happened. Do you think I should get a lawyer?
That sounds stressful. A lawyer could help you navigate this and make sure your rights are protected during the investigation.
Hayden said:
That sounds stressful. A lawyer could help you navigate this and make sure your rights are protected during the investigation.
Definitely. It’s better to be prepared, especially since HR cases can get complicated when sensitive info is involved.
Hayden said:
That sounds stressful. A lawyer could help you navigate this and make sure your rights are protected during the investigation.
I was thinking about it. But since I’m in an at-will state, would that limit how much a lawyer could do for me?
@Riley
Not necessarily. A lawyer can still help if there’s any question of wrongful accusations or unfair treatment.
Did they tell you why they think you accessed her info? That might be something you’ll need to address.
Cruz said:
Did they tell you why they think you accessed her info? That might be something you’ll need to address.
She claimed I was upset about her making more money, but the salary thing came up casually when she vented to me.
Cruz said:
Did they tell you why they think you accessed her info? That might be something you’ll need to address.
If it was casual and not work-related, that could be a key point to bring up during the investigation.
What does it mean when they ask you not to delete anything? Is that just normal for workplace investigations?
Ellington said:
What does it mean when they ask you not to delete anything? Is that just normal for workplace investigations?
Yeah, it’s a standard hold notice. It just means you can’t get rid of any related records while they investigate.
Ellington said:
What does it mean when they ask you not to delete anything? Is that just normal for workplace investigations?
Got it. Sounds routine, but still stressful for OP. Hopefully, it’s just procedural.
Do you know if the investigation is focusing on you specifically or if it’s a bigger issue with management?
Ellery said:
Do you know if the investigation is focusing on you specifically or if it’s a bigger issue with management?
I’ve heard it’s mainly about my VP, but my name came up because of the texts and a few other claims.
Ellery said:
Do you know if the investigation is focusing on you specifically or if it’s a bigger issue with management?
If that’s true, the spotlight might shift off you soon. Just stay cooperative and honest.
How are you planning to explain the venting texts? That seems like something they’ll bring up.
Leighton said:
How are you planning to explain the venting texts? That seems like something they’ll bring up.
I’ll be upfront about it. We don’t have a formal way to escalate issues in HR, so we were just venting privately.
Leighton said:
How are you planning to explain the venting texts? That seems like something they’ll bring up.
Makes sense. Being honest is probably your best bet. They might appreciate the transparency.