Manager gossipping about former employee

Oct 28, 2019 12 Comments

This relates to my wife who is NOT at Rackspace. Her manager, who has never been a very effective manager, just gossiped that a former member of the team was having an affair with one of her relatives. My wife was horrified that she would say such a thing. She had a talk with HR this morning, and they totally blew her off, saying that since he isn't a current employee, there's nothing concerning from an HR perspective that is problematic here. My wife's case is that this man is very private, and obviously wouldn't want this talked about. My wife is also private and is very nervous about what the boss will say about her later. This manager already has hd a few HR complaints, and they have done nothing yet besides talking to her. Should they do more? Is my wife right to be concerned or overblowing it?

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TOP 12 Comments
  • GE
    BujiPuppy

    Go to company page GE

    BujiPuppy
    You can't stop anyone from saying whatever they want (even if it's not true) to anybody else. Tell your wife to let it in through one ear and out the other. Best course of action is to let it go.
    Oct 28, 2019 2
    • Really? This was in the office. There were 5 people there. One of the other ladies, besides my wife, walked away from it also. It seems pretty inappropriate to me.
      Oct 28, 2019
    • GE
      BujiPuppy

      Go to company page GE

      BujiPuppy
      I'm going to guess that your wife has other issues with this manager, which is why this non-issue seems to be bothering her and you so much.
      Oct 28, 2019
  • Is Rackspace into tabloids now?
    Oct 28, 2019 0
  • Amazon
    rtone

    Go to company page Amazon

    rtone
    Whats wrong in this gossip? Manager did not say anything negative. Going to HR for this is insane. Your wife seems to have some issues.
    Oct 28, 2019 1
    • New
      bird_law

      New

      bird_law
      So does the op
      Oct 28, 2019
  • Why would she tattle to HR? Who cares? This is a non issue and you should feel bad that she even feels bad about it.
    Oct 28, 2019 0
  • PayPal
    MLewinsky

    Go to company page PayPal

    MLewinsky
    So maybe your wife shouldnโ€™t discuss her private personal life to her manager.

    And itโ€™s that big of a deal that she went to HR over this? Jeez. You guys def donโ€™t get invited to happy hour
    Oct 28, 2019 1
    • FWIW she went to HR about this manager one other time, and that was the very first time she ever went to HR in her (fairly long) corporate career. She does not take going to HR lightly.

      That other time involved some fairly blatant favoritism and general team disfunction. The result of that meeting was that they would do a book study together on team building. 3 or so months later, they've done one (5 page) chapter of the book....
      Oct 28, 2019