So...my HR person gave my cell phone # to a fellow employee...

[mattkime]

I suspect that part of the difference of opinions here is age related. I simply can't remember anyone my age being concerned with who has their phone number. (telemarkers excluded!) perhaps this is part of the misunderstanding - you might consider your phone number to be much more private than the coworkers you're dealing with.

Whats the worst that can happen if someone has your phone number? They can call you! What recourse do you have? You can chose not to answer it!

I agree that HR shouldn't have given out the number. Some gentle yet firm words with the correct people should fix the problem.

Does google voice have anything to offer here? maybe you could provide them with a separate work number that forwards to a number of your choosing, etc.

[$tevie]

Well, for me it's not the phone number so much as the flagrant violation of the position of HR employee. What's next, regaling her family with tales of who is using their insurance benefits to see a therapist? Or lunch time conversations about who has come in to complain about their boss? Or maybe which people with the same title are making more money than their peers?

We have a bad situation where I work because half the staff doesn't trust our HR department as far as they can throw them. Although I have never heard convincing proof that they can't keep things to themselves, enough people are sure enough of it that they are afraid to go to HR with any questions/problems/concerns.

[M A V I C]

mattkime wrote: Whats the worst that can happen if someone has your phone number? They can call you! What recourse do you have? You can chose not to answer it!

You must not be very tech savvy The worst is they can get an IP phone bot to dial you as frequently as it's set (once a second if you like), changing the caller ID every time so you have no hope in blocking it...

But really the bigger issue is HR giving out personal data to other employees. It doesn't take much to cause problems.

[Black]

$tevie wrote:
Well, for me it's not the phone number so much as the flagrant violation of the position of HR employee. What's next, regaling her family with tales of who is using their insurance benefits to see a therapist? Or lunch time conversations about who has come in to complain about their boss? Or maybe which people with the same title are making more money than their peers?

We have a bad situation where I work because half the staff doesn't trust our HR department as far as they can throw them. Although I have never heard convincing proof that they can't keep things to themselves, enough people are sure enough of it that they are afraid to go to HR with any questions/problems/concerns.

There are two kinds of HR departments in my experience:
1) So hopelessly understaffed/overworked that bringing any issue to them is like writing it on a piece of paper and tearing it up
2) Not hopelessly understaffed/overworked-- bringing any issue to them will result in an addition to your file that can be used against you later if needed.

[modelamac]

mattkime wrote:
I'm still trying to understand why you're getting all huffy about a coworker getting your cell phone number.

Simply because only the person "owning" the phone number has the authority to publicize it.

This case is no different than finding out a local B&M store gave out your phone number to a lawn service company.

It's my phone number, and I decide, not you or anyone else, who gets that number. There is no published directory for cell phone numbers as there is for land lines.

Cell phone numbers are only a LITTLE less private than social security numbers, as they generally cannot be tied to bank account numbers or other specific financial data.

[haikuman]

Keelhauling the HR individual will correct this issue *(:>*...:devil:X(

[tenders]

The HR person made a small error in judgment when she gave your phone number to someone believing their non-work-related reason for wanting it. That reason didn't justify giving it away, but perhaps if she knew and trusted the other employee reasonably well she felt the end justified the means.

She made a larger error in judgment when she lied to you about how it happened. Clearly she had second thoughts about having disclosed it and recognized it was against basic employee confidentiality protocol.

I would go to this person's boss and explain that these two things happened in a levelheaded way, and say that while no harm seems to have come from it that it did strike you as odd, and leave it at that. Maybe this is a one-shot, animal lover's peccadillo -- or perhaps it's an ongoing problem. As a manager or as the employer I would want to know that this stuff is happening.

[haikuman]

tenders wrote:
The HR person made a small error in judgment when she gave your phone number to someone believing their non-work-related reason for wanting it. That reason didn't justify giving it away, but perhaps if she knew and trusted the other employee reasonably well she felt the end justified the means.

She made a larger error in judgment when she lied to you about how it happened. Clearly she had second thoughts about having disclosed it and recognized it was against basic employee confidentiality protocol.

I would go to this person's boss and explain that these two things happened in a levelheaded way, and say that while no harm seems to have come from it that it did strike you as odd, and leave it at that. Maybe this is a one-shot, animal lover's peccadillo -- or perhaps it's an ongoing problem. As a manager or as the employer I would want to know that this stuff is happening.

Now common sense and a reasonable approach appears... just when I was having fun ~!~ :thumbsup:

Rudie *(:>*

[sunfalcon]

So you are upset that someone gave your phone number to someone else who was interested in a kitten you are selling? Yes, she should have just called you and definitely not lied about it. However, I chalk this up as life working together. $&*# happens. Most likely this person who got your number does not have it for malicious reasons. I'd talk to the HR person and let them know that you did not like having your number given out without your permission and leave it at that.

[rz]

Many of you are missing the point. It IS a big deal. It sets a bad precendent. And it may be illegal. Imagine if it had been a male co-worker of CJ's, and he wanted her number for "other" reasons. What if the co-worked asked the HR person what CJ's birthday was, under the guise of "wanting to know when I can throw a surprise party". Or wanted her home address.

Where I work, they take PII (Personally Identifiable Information) VERY seriously. If something like that had happened here, the HR person would be reprimanded and possibly (but not likely) terminated.