Two weeks ago I took 3 days off work with man-flu.
Today I received notification that as I was just over a week short of eligible sick pay service (6 months) I will have a deduction in my April salary to the full amount.

The email was sent to me, and my line manager with a big bold ‘Private and Confidential’ statement at the start.
Only they didn’t send it to my line manager, but instead to a namesake within our corporation – whom now of course knows my salary details.

You know what i’m going to ask. Hit me.

This is one of those “shouldn’t have happened but what do you want to actually happen now?” type situations

You can’t go back in time, it can’t be undone, so what do you actually want to happen? Presumably the company will follow whatever disciplinary procedure they have in place (if it covers this) with the individual who made the mistake?

Bombers – then take off and nuke from Space.

Pretty poor really when this kind of thing happens but a. your company are a bunch of tightwads for docking the pay and b. someone made genuine mistake so I don’t think there is much to be done. Does the other guy earn more, in which case he WGAS if he does the same job but earns less then it’s the company’s problem.

You want us to hit you?

I’m not really sure what you’re asking but if it’s “what can I get out of this” then I’ll suggest an apology and nothing else.

To make good their error they could overlook your deduction.

I had a similar situation at work a few years ago, an apology and an email (BCC copied to me) to the unintended recipient explaining their duty of confidentiality was what I got out of it.

Yes, i’m more miffed about the tightwad scenario – which itself has heightened my miffedness about the confidentiality issue.

I’m not keen on the idea of the payroll person being reprimanded. But i’m in an awkward limbo of being several hundreds down, and seemingly having a small amount of leverage..

ethically – I’m not sure where I stand here. What would Jesus do?

I’d try qwerty’s route. Or, to put yourself on equal terms with the other recipient, demand to know his salary

jimw – sounds a likely outcome to me. And as i’m not over keen on ruining someone elses weekend I’m not convinced its even worth me seeking an apology.

What would Jesus do?

Well he only ever took 3 days off for a lie down and he wasn’t moaning when he returned to work on Easter Sunday?

To make good their error they could overlook your deduction.

This^

Or can you take the sick days as holiday?

What would Jesus do?

probs wouldn’t pull a sicky in the first place

Well he only ever took 3 days off for a lie down and he wasn’t moaning when he returned to work on Easter Sunday?

– May have done if they deducted his Myrrh quota upon return.

probs wouldn’t pull a sicky in the first place

It was during my delirium that Jesus told me to take the time off.

True dat, he took his lie down over Passover, missed out on his own riding time.

I’ve never understood folk being coy about salries though. I once worked for the council and there was a huge kerfuffle about who was on what one day, so after that I put my grade and salary in my email signature for anyone who was interested to see.

Understandable human error non issue.

If it is a big organisation they should have a security breach policy.

People should get disciplinary warnings for this kind of carelessness. One day it is a misdirected email, the next day all your staff files are blowing about in a Tesco carpark in Fyfe.

I deal with this kind of stuff all the time – sadly I can’t divulge any details.

To make good their error they could overlook your deduction.

I’d suggest that would be bloody generous (and not something I’d entertain in their position), considering you’ve incurred precisely zero financial impact!

There’s another chap with the same name as me in my organisation, we regularly get each other’s emails, and joke about it. He got my last job offer. Not brilliant from HR. However I just got his nomination for our annual awards ceremony last week. Swings and roundabouts. Whilst this is a minor inconvenience, it’s quite amusing, I don’t really care if he knows what I earn (he probably didn’t even open the attachment to check).

Life’s too short, I’d not be going and creating ill feeling by suggesting you need financial recompense for a minor clerical error.

Honestly?

It’s probably just one of those things that you should file under “OhFFS” and get on with your day.

bit shit, but what’s done is done

Hi xxx,

I am not particularly pleased that this confidential information was forwarded erroneously to another party.

Can you please confirm the length of duty required in my contract to be eligible for company sick pay. And can you please also confirm if I am able to substitute holiday in lieu of salary deduction.

My drafted response. Overkill?

Not passive aggressive enough.

I have no idea what you’re asking, but I’m presuming it’s something along the lines of how did our society get to the point whereby it was acceptable for employers to withhold sick pay for a legitimate illness? It’s a complex issue, I suggest speaking to your union rep.

I am not particularly pleased that this confidential information was forwarded erroneously to another party. you have made a mistake

I have no idea what you’re asking

Have you considered reading the whole of the OP?

Have you considered reading the whole of the OP?

I did, doesn’t seem to be a question in there.

The question was assumed.

‘Should I act upon this potential leverage?’

Opinion seems mixed, leaning towards no.

I may just change my response to ‘see you next tuesday’.

‘Should I act upon this potential leverage?’

In that case. Nah, life’s too short, draw a line under it and move on whilst remembering that your employers did you no favours. If ever the tables are turned and you can tell them to do one you can do it with a clear conscience.

[edit in response to your edit]

I may just change my response to ‘see you next tuesday’.

Seems perfect. 😀

That is spectacularly tight on the part of the company. And worthy of a few days off riding terribly ill in, say, about a week’s time?

Would they rather you couldn’t afford not to come into work, spent three days being totally unproductive and then infected your whole team with the lurgy?

It does seem a trifle harsh doesn’t it

Data protection act is your freind as are the information commisoners in cheshire.

It’s “policy” though isn’t it. If they waive policy because it’s only a week, what happens to the next guy who’s only ten days, or two weeks? Got to draw a line somewhere. Harsh but I can see why they’d do it.

Inside of six months’ service I’d be wary of making too much of a stink about it TBH.

This is quite a common policy and should have been clearly identified in your staff handbook or offer letter.
My own company has a progressive generosity of sickness pay based on length of service. This is partly because in the service industry it is common to get people only working for a few months (students etc) and they do sadly tend to take more “sick” than longer term employees. Sick pay (beyond statutory) is not an entitlement, its a benefit offered by the company.

It does seem a trifle harsh doesn’t it

Wait, they withheld pudding too?

Who here has never made a mistake? It doesn’t help your cause, but it’s a sad fact of life and hopefully the company will learn from it

Wait, they withheld pudding too?

Pitchforks!

Presumably they know about the mistake? They are probably embaressed, how is expressing your displeasure going to have a positive outcome?

The other person would/will know what “P&C” means and implications of ignoring it. HR should remind him/her and apologise to you. Make sure email is deleted.

Then move on – oh and check your contract.

A genuine mistake was made, you’ve been sick too much and now are on half pay when you go off.

Pick your teddy back up and get on with life.

I earn £1380.89 after stoppages a month, now what use is that information to anyone?

id have more sympathy if it was some sort of chronic illness or an STD or something that would cause alienation they had just advertised but its just your pay……

Benji – lend us a tenner?

The point, I think, is – this is a large corporation with strict policies and procedures in place for good reasons. If we the employees slip up or contravene you better believe that the full weight of thier ‘law’ will come down on you.
Whilst I agree that this disclosure is relatively minor, it is still my own personal and private information and it is protected by thier own rules.
Now, if this email happened to be about a disciplinary procedure I was going through, or an even more sensitive matter like a complaint I had made or accusations etc etc – then one would assume the same result could/would have happened.
The policies, If in place are there to protect both parties and if breached then confidence is lost. They are the global corporation worth circa billions, they should really know better and practice what they preach. No?