Confidential Payslip Issue - Need Advice

teslacoil33 on 30/05/2022 - 11:05
Last edited 30/05/2022 - 21:37

I've got quite the quandary. Looking for some OzB advice.

I've recently been accepted for a new job. I'm currently just finishing up at my old workplace. I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at my payslips to make sure they're all in order. Having never done this before I went on to our intranet site and searched 'payslip'. What came up was a document containing the payslips of every employee at my company (only about 20 people) myself included!

I'm obviously a bit concerned that this confidential information is available to anyone using the intranet. What's interesting however, is that I can see some employees have been getting fairly screwed over in their pay rate i.e people employed for less time getting paid more than others who have been at the company longer.

I'm not really sure how to proceed here. Firstly, I'm quite annoyed that my confidential information is available for anyone to see. Secondly, I almost feel compelled to advised other employees to take a look at this document to see how they are getting screwed over so they can negotiate/demand more. But I think I need to tread carefully here, as I don't want to get myself into hot water.

What would you guys do in this situation?

Education & Work

Comments

  • Fergy1987 on 30/05/2022 - 11:16
    +19

    No problem, just give me your supervisors contact details and I'll get in touch with them to sort this out for you.

    • SoapyWooder on 31/05/2022 - 17:11
      -1

      …and what are you gonna do?

      • No ONE on 31/05/2022 - 17:52
        +18

        sort it out!

    • [Deactivated] on 31/05/2022 - 22:26

      Find a way to do it anonymously. Send an email from an anonymous external email address (make sure you include yourself in it) and then talk to everyone as if you're just as surprised as everyone else !

      But in all seriousness this is a data breach and you can / should report it to your bosses.

      • darkmattersunB6c0MV on 08/07/2022 - 22:13

        Mails can be traced very easily.
        This is a data breach and you should follow your company policy and procedures to report it.
        If unsure, report to your manager.
        ( make sure that there are witnesses.)
        If not done face to face, also cc your personal email any communication.

  • cuteseal on 30/05/2022 - 11:17
    +40
    1. Save all payslips to usb key
    2. Blackmail company ($1 million dollars or I email bomb this to the company wide distribution list)
    3. ???
    4. Profit!

    Oh yeah, slight negative is that you most likely end up in prison but hey that's just a minor thing.

    • WT on 31/05/2022 - 08:47
      +11

      better make it 2m then

      • Kangal on 31/05/2022 - 19:12
        +8

        inflation, make it 3m instead

        • WhyAmICommenting on 02/06/2022 - 07:30

          Oops, jousting went up last month, better make it 4m

          Edit: Or housing. Jousting is probably fairly expensive too.

  • deme on 30/05/2022 - 11:22
    +3

    https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints

    Then just send an email out to everyone saying how much you get paid.

    • Intoxicoligist on 02/06/2022 - 14:36

      Print off half a dozen copies and hang them around the office you say…

  • MS Paint on 30/05/2022 - 11:26
    +98

    I'm currently just finishing up at my old workplace.

    Don't burn your bridges.

    Email the boss your findings and leave it up to them to resolve.

    Hey boss

    Just a quick heads up to an issue I discovered on the workplace intranet.

    I was just downloading my payslips for my tax records before I leave and discovered by accident that I could view the other employees payslips.

    Thanks again for the many years of enjoyable work.

    Regards
    My third eye

    • whatwasherproblem on 30/05/2022 - 13:42
      +10

      Don't burn your bridges.

      Exactly. I don't know why this younger generation is so keen on petty revenge. Sure, the Reddit updoots are pretty good when you go post the response on r/antiwork, but after the euphoria wears off, then what? You've basically outed yourself as a troublemaker ('righteous' though you may be), and every employer you ever have again is always going to be thinking about it.

      What the heck happened to just wanting to grill?

      • netjock on 30/05/2022 - 15:02

        why this younger generation is so keen on petty revenge

        Got to get in there first!

      • GrueHunter on 30/05/2022 - 15:30
        +40

        this younger generation

        Sshhh, granddad. The war is over. You're in the home now. You're safe.

      • teslacoil33 on 30/05/2022 - 16:08
        +50

        Strange assumption that I'm part of the 'younger generation'. Even stranger assumption that I'm somehow after revenge? My main concern is simply for my fellow colleagues.

          • Jackson on 31/05/2022 - 22:42
            +16

            @whatwasherproblem: There's absolutely nothing wrong with:

            A) being annoyed at your personal information being shared by your employers and
            B) having compassion for your fellow colleagues, colleagues who likely do a great job and have tenure but are being underpaid

            OP should absolutely grow a pair and do what he thinks it right, and if that means speaking to some of the people to let them know they should be paid more that's not just fine, it's noble.

            Further, why not burn your bridges? If he has no intention of ever working there again, feel free to torch the place and don't look back, Bruce Willis style. I have heard so many people on this site tell people to cop sh!t and just humbly resign if you don't like being screwed over (not that OP is, but plenty of others seem to be in this case), when they should be exercising their rights and holding bad companies to account. Not to mention that who's going to find out anyway? He could do things in a polite way or he could be clandestine and no one would know anything about it

            • Nebargains on 01/06/2022 - 09:40
              +4

              @Jackson:

              Further, why not burn your bridges? If he has no intention of ever working there again, feel free to torch the place and don't look back

              Usually a bad idea, someone usually knows someone that you used to work with. Imagine applying for another job and interviewing OP, turns out they or someone they know is good friends with OPs boss so they reach out to find out more only to be told "OP is a dirty rotten scoundrel!". That stuff happens all the time, it probably shouldn't happen outside of reference checks but it does. Not to mention, what if they work together in the future? What if ops manager ends up at the same company?

              Never burn your bridges, the world is a small place. Usually who you know is more important than what you know.

              • Jackson on 01/06/2022 - 13:57

                @Nebargains: Dirty scoundrel for what? For being concerned about his fellow underpaid staff and glaring privacy issues that even the boss should be concerned about. The boss will basically look like an idiot, anyone worth their salt will see through the boss' story to the facts, and that's all only an issue if the boss finds out. Not to Mention anyone who can't see the issue with how things are you don't want to work for anyway, at best you miss out on a job working for another sh!t boss.

                On the other hand, the standard you walk by is the standard you accept, and this absolutely shouldn't go unpunished, let alone unresolved. OP needs to show some moral character (more than most people on this site seem to have) and follow through.

                • whatwasherproblem on 01/06/2022 - 20:04
                  +1

                  @Jackson:

                  anyone worth their salt will see through the boss' story to the facts

                  That you believe this is adorable.

                  • Jackson on 01/06/2022 - 21:19

                    @whatwasherproblem: I did say they either will or you don't want to work for them anyway. It's an exercise is weeding out the aholes

                    • whatwasherproblem on 01/06/2022 - 21:29

                      @Jackson: No it isn't, it's a recipe for being blackballed. Nobody is special enough for a potential employer to 'dig a little deeper' than surface level if they hear something scandalous. If your would-be-boss hears through her grapevine that you crashed old mate's business with no survivors on the way out (and keep in mind that it's your jilted former-boss that gets to tell the story here, so don't expect facts and do expect embellishments), then that's the end of it. They're not going to think any further on it - there's usually plenty of other candidates on the list, after all.

                      • Jackson on 01/06/2022 - 22:44
                        -1

                        @whatwasherproblem: Like I said, you won't want to work for them, but feel free not to sack up, spend your life smiling at people and nodding and then when they screw you over just leaving of your own accord. Or you can sack up and live and authentic life.

                        • whatwasherproblem on 01/06/2022 - 22:50

                          @Jackson:

                          but feel free not to sack up, spend your life smiling at people and nodding and then when they screw you over just leaving of your own accord.

                          Unironically sounds peaceful.

                          Or you can sack up and live and authentic life.

                          The last person to tell me something like this was a legit Freeman-on-the-land Mises-cult Libertarian. (Not a slight, just thought it was an amusing coincidence.)

                          • Jackson on 01/06/2022 - 23:18
                            +2

                            @whatwasherproblem: There's a certain allure to that life of doing exactly what you want or think is right all of the time, but we're straying a fair bit from the OPs situation, there's plenty of things he can do without putting himself in the centre of things, no one really needs to know.

                            People clearly tend to think inaction does no harm, but inaction has definite consequences, we just tend to absolve ourselves of the responsibility. If someone was dying on the side walk and you walked past them when you could have easily rendered life saving assistance to not detriment to yourself, you are responsible for their death, and I have heard of laws coming in to allow the prosecution of these bystanders to some degree. No one is dying here so no one really "cares" enough, but that doesn't mean that there's no consequence to the OPs choice not to act if he makes that decision.

                            Another example could be people who end up on the pension after being a life long tax payer. On one hand there should be no reason they need a pension in this day and age, between super, investing etc, but some people just spend their entire pay check and let it happen, and then complain it's not enough/it's not my fault. In some case it might not be, but in some cases there's a real consequence to doing nothing

                            • whatwasherproblem on 02/06/2022 - 12:25

                              @Jackson: I mean that's fair enough I suppose. The old adage "No good deed goes unpunished" comes to mind though.

                              Back when I was younger ('less jaded' if you like) I probably thought similarly to that, but these days I don't begrudge anyone for being stingy with what battles they pick and generally wanting to just keep their heads down and not rock the cart too much. You can be 100% in the right and just, and still end up worse off in the clusterf.ck that ensues than if you just didn't get involved at all. Kudos to those that do get involved anyway and risk personal detriment to stand up for what they think is right, but I don't begrudge anyone who'd rather put their own needs (and those of their immediate family, friends, etc) first. I imagine that's true of most people.

                              If someone was dying on the side walk and you walked past them when you could have easily rendered life saving assistance to not detriment to yourself, you are responsible for their death, and I have heard of laws coming in to allow the prosecution of these bystanders to some degree.

                              That's an interesting example. I'm not sure exactly how much I agree with your take there; at the very least I'd only be onboard with bystanders facing legal repercussions for inaction if (and only if) their country had some manner of Good Samaritan laws in effect to protect them getting involved.

        • gromit on 02/06/2022 - 15:56

          if your concern was for your fellow colleagues you would have immediately reported their privacy was being exposed to your boss and you wouldn't have proceeded to read everyones payslip details.

      • macrocephalic on 01/06/2022 - 10:46
        +2

        If they don't do anything illegal then how can a future employer even know about it except word of mouth?

      • Intoxicoligist on 02/06/2022 - 14:44
        +2

        "Then what?" You start your new job and move on with life? OP already stated they have a new job lined up.

        I'm curious how would "every employer they ever have again" would even know what went down? My current employer has no clue what happened at the place I worked 3 years ago, let alone 5-10. Should I be afraid the bartending job I no-showed at age 16 is going to ruin my employment prospects now I'm 33 and in a different industry?

        If an employer is knowingly screwing over their employees, that's a decision they have made, and they need to realise there are consequences for these decisions. If you're hiring people at 30/ph and the person doing the job for 3 years is on 25/ph, you damn well should give them a raise when you hire on the new person.

        • whatwasherproblem on 02/06/2022 - 14:59

          "Tanking your former employer's business by embroiling them in lawsuits and getting their staff to strike/quit enmasse" is a little more egregious than no-showing a shift, mate. You can bet that your spurned ex-boss is going to be hollering (and again, embellishing) about it for years to come to anyone who will listen. If you're aiming for a job in the same (typically specialised) industry, you can safely bet that this sort of thing is going to be following you around for a while.

          • Intoxicoligist on 02/06/2022 - 15:14
            +1

            @whatwasherproblem: My, thats a lot of assumptions to make. And quite the leap to go from "showing staff something available on the intranet" to "embroiling them in lawsuits" - where the heck did lawsuits come from?

            If an employer is willing to talk shit about you for years due to you revealing that they were ripping off their employees, you can bet the employees who found they were getting ripped off will also remember the person who championed them. And if the boss is badmouthing you to potential employers, then you have a defamation lawsuit on your hands.

            "If you're aiming for a job in the same (typically specialised) industry" - plenty of people don't work in specialised industry's? ¯_(ツ)_/¯ But for those that do, if you're in a specialised industry surely your colleagues (from the same niche industry) who you revealed the rort to will be just as likely to talk about it?

            • whatwasherproblem on 02/06/2022 - 15:48

              @Intoxicoligist:

              "embroiling them in lawsuits" - where the heck did lawsuits come from?

              Typically people don't like it when they find out their peers are getting paid more for less work. Assuming it's all on the right side of the law in the first place (big assumption), there's bound to be a few that want to use the courts to get backpay while they're abandoning ship. Which of course they'd be entitled to do, but again your ex-boss definitely won't see it that way.

              you can bet the employees who found they were getting ripped off will also remember the person who championed them

              Doubt it. The ones that don't actually blame you for being the bearer of bad news probably are going to be more indifferent about it than anything. They're not going to remember you, at least not fondly.

              And if the boss is badmouthing you to potential employers, then you have a defamation lawsuit on your hands.

              But you won't find out about it though. This is grapevine/rumour stuff that stays in the pub (or "on the golf course" to use the old adage). The only hindsight hint you'd even have that it had happened is that all of a sudden it's infinitely harder for you to progress/change jobs in your chosen industry. Unless one of your ex-boss's buddies squeals, you'll never have anything more than hearsay. (Pro-tip: they won't squeal.)

              plenty of people don't work in specialised industry's?

              By specialised I mean industries, like say you might work in the "hospitality industry" for instance. All of the business owners in that industry in your area would know each other and be chatty with each other, and you can bet that they'll be hearing from your ex-boss about that "tyrannical employee that 'hacked' into my servers and released everyone's pay data and tanked my business". It's dodgy, but it is what it is. Cronyism/nepotism is more rampant than anyone wants to admit, in pretty much any industry you can think of.

    • 82norm on 31/05/2022 - 20:18
      +2

      Oh and by the way, I extended the courtesy of informing the other team members.

    • kaleidoscope on 01/06/2022 - 09:27
      +1

      Do this and move on. What others get paid is NONE of your concern.

      In my last work place I personally knew some mouthy folks with not much skills are getting promotions left and right, reason why I chose to distance myself from that sort of a workplace.

      • John Kimble on 01/06/2022 - 09:34
        +3

        In my last work place I personally knew some mouthy folks with not much skills are getting promotions left and right

        That sounds like almost every workplace? 🤔

        • kaleidoscope on 01/06/2022 - 14:22

          That sounds like almost every workplace

          Well it could be. Worked in small companies before that so my experience is different :-). As long as those things don’t affect what I do in the business, not really my problem eh?

      • Intoxicoligist on 02/06/2022 - 14:46
        +3

        "What others get paid is NONE of your concern." I disagree

        If my co-workers are significantly underpaid compared to me, I want them to get paid the same as me. If my co-workers are getting paid significantly more, I'd want to know why, or get paid the same for the same work.

        NOT DISCUSSING SALARYS ONLY BENEFITS EMPLOYERS.

  • bobbified on 30/05/2022 - 11:32
    +26

    Weren't certain people recently crying out for pay transparency? Here you have it!

    • SF3 on 30/05/2022 - 13:54

      Next post from OP: There is needs be privacy on pay!

  • [Deactivated] on 30/05/2022 - 11:52
    +4

    What would you guys do in this situation?

    if my colleagues were nice people, i would let them know, probably send them a copy of the document or tell them where to find it, though as soon as you start telling people, they will be talking to their superiors about getting a raise and the document will disappear or access will be locked.

    • gromit on 02/06/2022 - 13:45

      good way to get yourself into serious legal trouble.

      • [Deactivated] on 02/06/2022 - 14:17

        Did I sign an NDA?

      • Intoxicoligist on 02/06/2022 - 14:48
        +1

        How? Information is available to all on their intranet and talking about your wages isn't illegal unless prohibited by your employment contract. Making it so wages can't be discussed is a method of control that only benefits the company. https://sprintlaw.com.au/articles/is-pay-secrecy-legal/

        • gromit on 02/06/2022 - 15:44

          you talking about your wages is fine, your boss sharing your payslip with everyone is most definitely NOT fine. Sharing information you know full well you should not have had access to is so far from being fine it isn't funny. The company stuffed up, however that doesn't suddenly make any action you take on that private and confidential data legal.

  • orangetrain on 30/05/2022 - 11:58
    +30

    You would be my new best friend if you shared the salaries as I'm flying blind into negotiations.

    The privacy of salaries only benefit the owners.

  • oscargamer on 30/05/2022 - 12:23
    +20

    Print it out and leave it on the office coffee table.

    • cameldownunder on 30/05/2022 - 15:19
      -4

      Only if there's no cameras.

      But basically you have 3 options:
      1) Divulge the information ( method is up for discussion )
      2) Report leak to your manager ( I WOULD NOT DO THAT: Because you have seen confidential information, and you might get into troubles. I got into trouble for having a glimpse at MY OWN end of year review, before it was due to be "released" )
      3) Destroy the paper and never mention it to anyone

      • teslacoil33 on 30/05/2022 - 16:01
        +5

        I doubt I'd get in trouble for just stumbling across the document. The document was just titled something so generic like Payslip_Month.pdf. I genuinely thought it was just going to be my payslip before opening it.

        • macrocephalic on 01/06/2022 - 10:50

          Yes, you can't be punished for accidentally seeing confidential information when you weren't seeking it and it wasn't your job to secure it. You can get into trouble for disclosing confidential information, but pay rates aren't like a government classified/secret document - the best the company could do is discipline you internally.

          Even still, I wouldn't bother rocking the boat at this stage.

        • cameldownunder on 01/06/2022 - 22:24

          You obviously don't work in the same company I do. Or better, you don't have the same HT person I have. I call it "person" because she is the most unqualified HR person I came across in my 30+ years of work.

  • tsunamisurfer on 30/05/2022 - 12:39
    +13

    Don't do anything, just take your payslips and leave (say nothing).

    You aren't making the situation worse.

    As for what others are being paid, that's not really your business, everyone there is happy with their remuneration otherwise they wouldn't be there.

    • Kangal on 31/05/2022 - 19:29
      +3

      He could download them, print them out, and hold onto it. After he has formally exited that employment, there's nothing* his employers can legally do.

      Then he could approach the coworkers he trusts, and tells them about the privacy concern. He could give them the print out. And advise them to maybe be stern with their salary negotiations. That way his former co-workers can work on the issue, and there wouldn't be any suspician on himself (no burnt bridges). If employer wants to discover the root cause, his co-workers can tell his employer about the loophole.

      Source: very similar thing happened to me.

      *if they state that he stole company documents, he has a strong alibi. I downloaded these when I was still an employee, just for my own record-keeping. I didn't have the time to look at them, and printed it out for my folder. Only then did I notice the issue. I deleted the particular documents. And contacted my coworker, and handed over the print out to them, to raise the issue. This problem has nothing to do with me. Plausible deniability.

      • cookie2 on 31/05/2022 - 21:02
        +2

        This. Good way to share with others and stay true to your own values, without damaging your own exit. Also consider divulging generally in a review eg. Seek.

      • tsunamisurfer on 31/05/2022 - 21:57
        -2

        What issue is this? They are already happy with their remuneration. There is no problem with their remuneration. They agreed to their remuneration.

        • Kangal on 31/05/2022 - 22:08
          +3

          That's a very short-sighted view, my friend

          • tsunamisurfer on 01/06/2022 - 18:27

            @Kangal: What is your take on it then?

            That everyone should be paid the same? And that 'amount' should always be the max / top of a band?

            • Kangal on 01/06/2022 - 21:35
              +1

              @tsunamisurfer: Way to hit the mark. Don't you understand nuance at all? Or are you one of the 1% and taking the piss…

          • gromit on 02/06/2022 - 13:48

            @Kangal: and stealing corporate information and intentionally breaching privacy laws is not a short-sighted view?

            • Kangal on 02/06/2022 - 17:42

              @gromit: It would be… if it was proven true.
              What I suggested was to use tact. The actions of serving others (coworkers) selflessly still bares it's risks.

              And if we had more people acting in the interest of others maybe concepts like pandemics, financial crash, starvation, genocide, etc would be alien to us.

              PS: I'm not telling the OP what he should've done, but more on the lines of what was available to them. I had a similar happenstance to them.

              • gromit on 02/06/2022 - 17:58

                @Kangal: you suggested download them, print them out and take them with him. if it is an intranet it would almost certainly have logs, if he is found to have told people what the details are it is going to be pretty damn easy to prove. The world would be a far better place if people acted with honesty and integrity, something the OP seems to be sadly lacking.

                • Kangal on 02/06/2022 - 18:39

                  @gromit: It looks like the OP has told his HR, and not his co-workers… so not sure if the lack of honesty/integrity holds water.

                  I don't disagree with you gromit, and even in this instance I don't disagree entirely. But keep in mind, honesty is a two-way street. I doubt the OPs employer meets those same standards, since that information is hidden between his co-workers (and some are apparently being ripped-off). In my current employment, my pay is transparent to all my coworkers and so are theirs to mine including management, and it's much easier to get along in my experience.

                  • gromit on 02/06/2022 - 18:43

                    @Kangal: Then I partially take it back if he has told HR. Still the fact he knew it was confidential info and yet proceeded to not only read and compare pays but also go on a public forum to ask about how to share it suggests there is an issue there.

      • trapper on 01/06/2022 - 00:21
        +1

        Printing out and distributing other peoples payslips would be a very big mistake imho

      • syousef on 01/06/2022 - 07:58
        +1

        This is a good way to end up in really hot water. DO NOT take confidential company data with you when you leave!!!

        • Kangal on 01/06/2022 - 14:18
          -1

          That's why I said delete them afterwards, and return the items back 🙄

          • syousef on 01/06/2022 - 14:45

            @Kangal: That is great advice if you want to enjoy the thrill of risking gaol. Do you know what destroying evidence is?

            • Kangal on 01/06/2022 - 21:36
              -1

              @syousef: Destroying the evidence? GTFO. You're not even close.

              • syousef on 01/06/2022 - 23:59

                @Kangal: People are suggesting you take the files with you then destroying them. That is destroying evidence of your crime (taking the files in the first place). But that's fine. I'll GTFO and you can behave in a way that could see you before a magistrate. Educating you isn't my problem.

                • Kangal on 02/06/2022 - 17:44
                  -1

                  @syousef: It is not a crime. You're way off the mark.
                  He is an employee at the time of taking them.

                  It's similar you to saying a person needs to be jailed for taking possession of a firearm, but that person is a cop, and he returned his firearm before he quit his role.

                  Any magistrate would laugh at your accusations (hence the gtfo comment).

                  • syousef on 02/06/2022 - 19:52
                    +1

                    @Kangal: You don't get to keep the gun after you leave your job so long as you destroy it. People are suggesting he hold onto the data and then get rid of it only after he leaves.

                    He isn't actually using the information to execute his duties, therefore he has no lawful reason to be in possession of personal information.

                    You are demonstrating your ignorance of both employment law and privacy law, and telling me I'm off the mark. Right mate. Good luck.

                    • Kangal on 02/06/2022 - 22:06
                      -1

                      @syousef: But the onus is on his employer to make that association, furthermore to prove it. So if they went that far, then it is pretty telling of what type of workplace it was. Remember, the OP found this entirely by accident, and I gave him a direction to have plausible deniability.

                      In an ideal world, he would've seen the document and then deleted it, and there would be nothing to discuss here. However, the OP noticed there was a big discrepancy in pay between his coworkers. Which is why he felt he had a moral obligation (ie brother's keeper) in service to his coworkers. And he has a moral obligation in service to his employer, by telling them about the loophole/privacy concern.

                      It is why he felt like he was in a conundrum. I've worked in a few places, and there are good bosses and bad bosses, and fair pay and unfair pay. So I understand how he/she might be feeling.

                      • syousef on 03/06/2022 - 07:55

                        @Kangal: "He could download them, print them out, and hold onto it. After he has formally exited that employment, there's nothing* his employers can legally do."

                        You gave him instructions to steal the data, and suggested this was ok and legal ("nothing his employers can legally do")..

                        "Then he could approach the coworkers he trusts, and tells them about the privacy concern. He could give them the print out. "

                        You gave him instructions to distribute private data that he came across during his employment, which is a criminal act.

                        Are you even aware of the Privacy Act 1988?
                        https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/notifiable-data-breaches

                        What's worse, you've implied that you've acted illegally

                        "Source: very similar thing happened to me."

                        No, you do not have "a strong alibi". You're talking absolute dangerous nonsense. This is Dunning-Kruger at its finest and heaven help anyone following that advice.

                        • Kangal on 03/06/2022 - 09:06

                          @syousef: He's still the employee there, and works as an agent for his workplace. Accessing the documents are not illegal, read the Privacy Act yourself.

                          After he's formally ended his employment, he needs to delete those documents. Not sure if you saw that part of my comment.

                          Handing out those documents is also not illegal, because you are returning something back.

                          It's my fault, I thought the nuance would have translated on text but it hasn't. There's far worse and shady things people do everyday and it's not illegal or considered immoral. Potentially exposing his current employer to paying their workers more wages pales in comparison.

                          What happened to me was similar but different. I wasn't leaving but another coworker was (pregnancy) and they found a print out sheet and doodles on it by our manager at the time. And it had people's yearly salary, and who was underpaid, and which employees were not going to complain.

                          • syousef on 03/06/2022 - 09:58

                            @Kangal:

                            He's still the employee there, and works as an agent for his workplace. Accessing the documents are not illegal, read the Privacy Act yourself.

                            If you had read the act you would know that the employee can only use the data for the purpose it was collected. He can't take home and squirrel it away as a personal record. Don't tell me to read the act when you clearly haven't got a clue what it says.

                            After he's formally ended his employment, he needs to delete those documents. Not sure if you saw that part of my comment.

                            He needs to never take the documents home in the first place.

                            it's not illegal

                            WRONG!

                            they found a print out sheet and doodles on it by our manager at the time. And it had people's yearly salary, and who was underpaid, and which employees were not going to complain

                            It wasn't your co-worker's information to disseminate.

                            • Kangal on 03/06/2022 - 11:48
                              +1

                              @syousef: You know what? I think you're 100% correct. I've been approaching this from a Machiavellian perspective. Kind of a theoretical vs practical difference.

                              • syousef on 03/06/2022 - 12:57

                                @Kangal: Wow if that's genuine, I'm quite impressed and I've upvoted. It's rare that anyone admit they're wrong during an Internet discussion.

                                Note also that I didn't say I agreed that it should be this way. I'd consider extending whistleblowing laws to cover this sort of thing if it were up to me, but that wouldn't be without its own huge problems to solve.

                                • Kangal on 03/06/2022 - 13:28
                                  +1

                                  @syousef: I'm usually pretty sarcastic, but nope was being sincere. That's an interesting point about whistleblowing, those protections have been eroded over the past two-decades (eg Assange, Snowden, etc) and we're on our way back to making the same mistakes as Ancient China/First Emperor.

  • SF3 on 30/05/2022 - 13:53
    +1

    Report to HR asap!!

    Oh wait… aren't they the same people…

    (PS. HR is the protector of the company, so…, it's also a reason why they don't work in IT dept)

  • morse on 30/05/2022 - 14:20

    I’m kind of surprised that you hadn’t seen your payslip prior to this.

    Yes this info should be confidential but I wouldn’t be making a big deal out of it prior to leaving.

    You could also be in trouble for breaching privacy rules if you share what you’ve found.

    • teslacoil33 on 30/05/2022 - 16:03
      +7

      As I've mentioned in another comment, the document was named something very generic. I was completely unaware that it was a company wide payslip. That been said I haven't looked at it again and I think I'm just going to let HR know I stumbled across it.

      • freefall101 on 30/05/2022 - 16:16
        +1

        Ah, my bad, I misread your post and didn't realise it was a single document. Sounds like someone totally screwed up where they stored it!

        I'd still let HR know. It happens, either they'll be smart and properly secure the network and their files or sweep it under the carpet, but it's the right thing to do.

        • teslacoil33 on 30/05/2022 - 16:17
          +6

          I've just let HR know. It's very concerning that this is the level of security they have for confidential documents, makes me wonder what other information they have about me available for others to view.

          • John Kimble on 31/05/2022 - 11:11

            @teslacoil33: HR probably just uploaded it incorrectly, like when people accidentally share videos publicly on social media

            Eg https://www.smh.com.au/culture/celebrity/cracked-screen-the-…

          • Kangal on 31/05/2022 - 19:33

            @teslacoil33: Just know, OzBargain is getting more and more popular. So there is a chance your employer has seen this thread, heard of your complaint, and put two-and-two together.

            Hopefully there will be minimal punishment to you for your good-deed. The better-deed would have been to keep quiet.

            • cookie2 on 31/05/2022 - 21:04

              @Kangal: There would be no punishment because OP has done NOTHING wrong. The punishment would be for whoever saved the document in the first place.

    • Stephen2 on 31/05/2022 - 09:51
      +1

      The complete opposite.

      Tell your colleagues, especially the ones the boss is ripping off.

  • Hardlyworkin on 30/05/2022 - 17:42
    -2

    Are some getting screwed or just paid less as they aren't as stronger workers as others?

  • brad1-8tsi on 30/05/2022 - 19:37

    You've never looked at your payslip before? Unbelievable.

    • teslacoil33 on 31/05/2022 - 12:08

      It's sort of hard to explain, but I had previously looked at payslips but then they moved location when we moved to a different system.

    • Nebargains on 01/06/2022 - 09:41

      Who does? Haven't looked at a payslip in years, as long as the same amount ends up in the bank account.

      • Carmen Sandiego on 01/06/2022 - 11:27

        I had to because they forgot to pay my HECS for 6 months.

        $1,100+ ATO debt later…

      • brad1-8tsi on 01/06/2022 - 17:27

        I look at all my payslips and make sure my Super gets deposited.
        The number of mistakes various companies have made is ridiculous. That includes gov't departments & IT companies with hundreds of employees.

      • chris666 on 01/06/2022 - 20:59

        I look at mine cause my company always stuffs up my pay..

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