Is this illegal?

Amanda88

For an employee to take a client's records and look through them for personal reasons? Like to get a phone number so they can harass them?

 

I posted below how BM has been harassing me on fb. I finally got everyone blocked that she was trying to communicate with me through. Apparently, she has just started working for the vet I have used for 5 years now as a short term thing (one of the ladies is on maternity leave). She snooped through my file, found my cell number, and has started harassing me through texts. I called my vet and told him what was going on and how I was upset my privacy was violated. He said he would tell her not to harass his clients and let me know if it continues he will fire her. I feel like he should have fired her on the spot. I have three very large dogs, so we see the vet quite a bit.

 

I am going in tomorrow to pick up some medicine for my dogs (BM will not be there). I'm worried she will try to steal my credit card information. My dogs have terrible stranger fears and this vet is the only one my dogs feel comfortable with (they love the staff, staff loves them). Would you push for BM to be fired if she were looking through your personal files for no legit reason? Are there any laws that protect me from her behavior? I'm in TX if that helps.

UGH! I did not need this on my already overflowing plate.

twister22

I'm not sure if there's laws against it, but I would think there would be company policy against it.

I would push for BM to be fired, and I would file a restraining order against her for harassment, to scare her straight. But I'm in a b!tchy mood.

new+tothis

First, file for a restraining order ASAP.

Then, pull the vet aside and personally talk to him. Let him know that you find it incredibly inappropriate that he did not fire the TEMP that snooped through your records in order to criminally harass you. Point out that you've filed for a restraining order and ask that he fire her. If he does not comply I would switch vets. You may like him but iif he doesn't fire her then his business practices are shoddy.

lb1212

new+tothis:

First, file for a restraining order ASAP.

Then, pull the vet aside and personally talk to him. Let him know that you find it incredibly inappropriate that he did not fire the TEMP that snooped through your records in order to criminally harass you. Point out that you've filed for a restraining order and ask that he fire her. If he does not comply I would switch vets. You may like him but iif he doesn't fire her then his business practices are shoddy.

 

THIS!!

Littlejen22

Sniping through work files is probably not illegal unless it is a person's healthcare file but harassment is illegal. If she is really harassing you then get a restraining order.

Nineoceans

I would switch vets and change your number and cancel the credit cards. Better to be safe than sorry. You can do all of the above in a productive afternoon and never lose sleep over it again

xmaryrickx

She can't steal your credit card info from a receipt. Unless they are old school and run them through a carbon receipt to take a physical copy. If that's the case can't imagine it is then pay with cash.

As for her getting your number through the files not really illegal. Unethical yes. If she is truly harassing you then file a cease and desist. I doubt you will be able to get a restraining order if she isn't threatening you.

I had something similar happen to me and it really does suck. I took great pains to keep my personal info secure from BM, then a company went out of business and sold their client lists to her company. And then she had my number.

Sunday924

I'm with the others and I would file harassment charges. 

I would also find a new vet. If he doesn't think this is serious enough to have fired her on the spot then he doesn't deserve my business. But then again I guess it's kind of hard for him to prove as it's just your word over hers at the moment.  

ambrvan

I am a veterinary technician, and this is not exactly ilmegal. However, this is extremely unethical. Not only would I PUSH to have her fired, but I would also report your vet to the board if he does not. I would get any and all.proof you have of her harrassment and request a private meeting with your vet, to which he will probably request his office manager or another doctor to attend, and you should agree. It is going to be hard to prove that she obtained your number from their files, but if you can prove timeline and sound professional and not like a whiny B then I would persue.

He is automatically going to be on the defense of his employees, no matter how new. Your words are likely going to fall on deaf ears, and they will probably call you crazy afterwards, and BM will probably know exactly what was said in the meeting. Unless this is a huge hundred epmloyee practice, I am just warning you how it likely to work out. I have worked for several different clinics of various sizes.

If he refuses to fire her, find a different vet. Trust me, your dogs can adapt. And report him to the board. Ethics are something they follow up on.

xmaryrickx

How can you prove 100 without a doubt that she pulled your number from the vet records? I don't doubt you, I am sure that is what happened. But I don't see how you can expect someone to fire her for something if you can't prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt. I mean, this is clearly a dramatic domestic casehow does the vet know you are not just being a vindictive B? It could be a case of you finding out she is working there and you wanting her gone, so you make up a story and try to get her fired. See where I am going with this? Again, I believe you, but I would not expect any business to just take your word over hers without proof.

Amanda88

The vet called early this morning and said he fired her.

She did get my phone number from my records. I am 100% positive that's where she got it. We live in a very small rural town, and I am not from here. No one has my cell phone number except people I do business with and DH's family who would never give my number out. She started work there and then contacted me. The vet was just taken aback by her actions, and made the right choice without any further persuasion. He said he didn't mention my name, but she would probably know who and why. The vet and his staff have been close with me for years. They know I am not vindictive, and one of the staff members corroborated BMs actions. She didn't know BM was harassing me though.  

 

Restraining orders are hard to get here, but I am going to call our attorney and change my number now that she will no longer have access to my files and information.  The only reason I was worried about my credit card information is because they used to do everything by hand, and my credit card used to be on file. 

 

Thanks for all the information. BM's antics are just coming at a seriously bad time.  

Amanda88

Thank you! I appreciate all the advice, and the effort some of you went through to give me a solid answer. Hopefully this will be the end of her harassing me. 

 

She just sent DH a text about how pissed she is. She is BSC. She sees no fault in what she did. 

dmndsr4eva

Can you prove that is how she obtained your phone number?  Afterall you share a child.  You would think she would have already known your phone number.  I personally think you overreacted by getting her fired.  Again the issue isn't that she knows your phone number it is that she is allegedly harassing you. 

I don't think the issue is that she can contact you.  The issue is if she is harrassing or stalking you.  And if that is the case then you need to proceed with legal action.  However you have decide if you really want to go there.  Do you really want to put your SC's mother in jail?  What do you think your SC will think of that?

Amanda88

wendilea:

Dmnds, as the resident Queen of BSC, I don't think your advice should be followed.

If BM needs to contact BD, she can do so.  She doesn't need to involve SM at all, much less harass her.  I don't have BM1's phone number, nor does she have mine.  I don't have the Amazon's phone number, either.

If BM used her access to client files at a job, it was unethical.  The employer had proof that's what had happened, and took appropriate action.  If SM feels harassed, we have given her advice on how to proceed.  It's not a matter of inappropriate action on SM's part, but on BM's part.  If she acts BSC, there are consequences.  Sometimes people need to be reminded of that.

 

This and thank you.

My SS does not have a relationship with BM. She has chosen to be absent in his life since day 1. He doesn't even remember what she looks like. She made her bed, so she can lay in it. 

Jessys_Girl

twister22:

I'm not sure if there's laws against it, but I would think there would be company policy against it.

I would push for BM to be fired, and I would file a restraining order against her for harassment, to scare her straight. But I'm in a b!tchy mood.

This.

new+tothis:

First, file for a restraining order ASAP.

Then, pull the vet aside and personally talk to him. Let him know that you find it incredibly inappropriate that he did not fire the TEMP that snooped through your records in order to criminally harass you. Point out that you've filed for a restraining order and ask that he fire her. If he does not comply I would switch vets. You may like him but iif he doesn't fire her then his business practices are shoddy.

And this.

dmndsr4eva

Amanda88:

wendilea:

Dmnds, as the resident Queen of BSC, I don't think your advice should be followed.

If BM needs to contact BD, she can do so.  She doesn't need to involve SM at all, much less harass her.  I don't have BM1's phone number, nor does she have mine.  I don't have the Amazon's phone number, either.

If BM used her access to client files at a job, it was unethical.  The employer had proof that's what had happened, and took appropriate action.  If SM feels harassed, we have given her advice on how to proceed.  It's not a matter of inappropriate action on SM's part, but on BM's part.  If she acts BSC, there are consequences.  Sometimes people need to be reminded of that.

This and thank you.

My SS does not have a relationship with BM. She has chosen to be absent in his life since day 1. He doesn't even remember what she looks like. She made her bed, so she can lay in it. 

I was not aware of your situation. I didn't know that your SC had no contact with her.