This is what I did ?

A former colleague who no longer works for us as he was made redundant for doing a crap job along with a whole lot of other issues. His role hasn’t been replaced as such.

He phoned me on Friday to ask a “favour” would I mind getting some figures for a job that was undertaken last year as he wants to try and quote for it independently. I told him that he had overstepped the boundary of friendship and that I unequivocally would not give him any information.

I was really annoyed to be asked, I hold a responsible position within the my work place. I had a chat with my boss who is one of the directors, he also was annoyed to say the least, obviously we cant stop him quoting for work.

Its now been taken to the CEO and the decision lays with her now as what to do. a quick call to say please don’t ask staff to get you information etc

Would you have said anything ? I have to cover myself.

I don’t want it to get out of hand, unfortunately our paths cross out of work occasionally.

I have no doubt he would have done the same thing…

He asked you to pass on commercially sensitive info to bid against your employer?…. some mate.

Mebbe wouldn’t have escalated it, just told him no. But the genie’s well out of the bottle now and he will be pissed off you told your boss, your paths may cross less and less out of work

he was made redundant for doing a crap job

I wouldn’t have written that down on a public forum, its illegal.

Seems to me you did the right thing and had the courage of your convictions.
You’ve also found out the true nature of this guy and now you know not to trust him.
If you do see him socially and he has a go, just tell him why you did what you did – I doubt he’ll have much comeback, he surely knows he’s in the wrong…

I don’t see the dilemma – some guy you obviously don’t think much of asks you to do something naughty and you say no. What was difficult about that?

You did the right thing. He was asking you for commercially sensitive information that he was going to use to compete directly against your own company.

Also it’s perfectly possible that if you had given him the information then he would have used it as a hold over you (I’ve seen this happen before).

The ex-employee sounds a bit of an idiot.

I might not have bubbled him (depending on what he is like) but I’d have said words to the effect of “you are asking me to put myself in a compromising position and I don’t appreciate it. Do not ask me again”.

I wouldn’t have written that down on a public forum, its illegal.

Even if it’s fiction? I’m not saying it is, but OP doesn’t mention any names.
Like this:
I know a bloke who killed someone and got away with it.

Back to the subject:
It’s part of our T&Cs to report stuff like this, so I may have done the same. More likely just told him to bugger off and kept it to myself.

DezB – Member
I wouldn’t have written that down on a public forum, its illegal.

Even if it’s fiction? I’m not saying it is, but OP doesn’t mention any names.

If he read this, and presented it in challenge its pretty obvious who the OP are talking about, unless several people recently made redundant have asked the op the same question recently.

I wouldn’t have written that down on a public forum, its illegal.

Why is it illegal to express a personal opinion on someone and why they were made redundant?

what exactly will they sue for?

He said he was made redundant “…because for doing a crap job…” That’s false grounds for redundancy.

Its doesn’t mean he couldn’t have been fired, but he’s either been made redundant becuase the position no longer exits, or he’s been fired due to a measured performance issue. Which is it?

Yeah I am pretty sure someone’s position could be made redundant and being crap at the job being a factor in the decision to make lose that particular member of staff – all they need to do is follow the guidelines to prove the decision was fair.

IE: One position to go, two people on the shortlist. One is good at the job, one is crap…

someone’s position could be made redundant and being crap at the job being a factor in the decision to make lose that particular member of staff – all they need to do is follow the guidelines to prove the decision was fair.

IE: One position to go, two people on the shortlist. One is good at the job, one is crap…

This is correct

Employer “we want you to go away”
Employee “Go through disciplinary”
Employer “No, faster than that”
Employee “Give me some money to go away”
Employer “OK, here is some money, sign this and go away”
Ends

all they need to do is follow the guidelines to prove the decision was fair.

Agreed. But putting in writing as per the OP in the way he did on an open forum isn’t exactly as per guidelines, or as I suspect (hopefully) how it was performed at his office.

If he read this, and presented it in challenge its pretty obvious who the OP are talking about, unless several people recently made redundant have asked the op the same question recently.

In that case he would need to admit he asked the OP for sensitive information if he wanted to use that statement in court.

Anyway back to the question. I would have told him ‘no’ and explaining why. Not sure I would have ‘grassed him up’ though but I guess you were covering your arse.

a bit of an unnecessary diversion from topic.

I’d have done the same as you OP. He should feel really bad for putting you in that position. And since this happened when he is no longer a colleague, I would also feel happy about telling anyone who asked about him, what he had asked you to do.

Stoatsbrother – Member
a bit of an unnecessary diversion from topic.

Are you new to STW? 😀

you were right to say no

you were also right to inform your boss straight away, if he finds out the relevant data from someone/somewhere else then the heat isn’t on you if it kicks off in your office !

as for the out-of-work stuff, if he challenges you then respond with a straight bat back “yes I turned you down because it’s confidential to my employer whom I am loyal to (and contracted to), yes I told my line manager because I don’t want to be associated with the potential leak of corporate data” if he gets shirty then his problem not yours

So its against the law to say someone else broke the law?

I thought you meant the statement was illegal not what the statement said was illegal

Blimey, as soon as the rain clears the pedants come out in force.

By him asking- he knew it could get you in trouble if it was find out/came to light which says to me he had little respect for you IMO.

I think you’ve ever right to cover your back.