HR IssuesOct 28, 2019
RackspaceRJNs36

Manager gossipping about former employee

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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Symantec GoRams Oct 28, 2019

Is Rackspace into tabloids now?

GE BujiPuppy Oct 28, 2019

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.

Rackspace RJNs36 OP Oct 28, 2019

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.

GE BujiPuppy Oct 28, 2019

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.

PayPal MLewinsky Oct 28, 2019

So maybe your wife shouldn’t discuss her private personal life to her manager. And it’s that big of a deal that she went to HR over this? Jeez. You guys def don’t get invited to happy hour

Rackspace RJNs36 OP Oct 28, 2019

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....

Overstock.com 🦕$🦖 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.

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bird_law Oct 28, 2019

What is the problem here?

Amazon rtone Oct 28, 2019

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.

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bird_law Oct 28, 2019

So does the op

Finastra tXkF32 Oct 28, 2019

OP—-Your wife is correct—-her co worker’s behavior is completely inappropriate and will get that person disciplined at most of the companies where I’ve worked. The reasoning behind it is due to rules about creating a “toxic work environment.” It doesn’t matter that the person no longer works at the company. Just the fact that her coworker is openly spreading gossip and defaming another person can open the company up to litigation. I have no idea if your wife’s company cares about that but most decent sized, established firms won’t put up with it.

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GKFR34 Nov 20, 2019

agree with toxic environment post. However, HR is not an employee’s friend. HR exists to protect the company from troublemakers, usually defined as the person who went to HR. i wouldn’t go to HR without consulting a labor law attorney and would line up another job first. A labor attorney will tell you to keep a work journal and be prepared with evidence, not hearsay. It isn’t fair, but in my experience is this is how it is. At the end of the day, I have a family that depends on my income. Which means not only do I need to not get fired or pushed out, but I also need referrals that speak to my actual performance.