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12-10-2007, 03:45 PM
|  | - that dog won't hunt, Monsignor. Moderator | | | | | Rant - Opening other people's mail
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The office manager at work (incompetent boob with low self esteem and control issues), again, opened mail addressed to me (she has done this to other people as well). This pisses me off. I told her to stop. She rebutted with, "I have a lot of mail to open, and I can't read the address labels on all of them". I suggested that by reading the labels she could skip opening quite a few and actually save time, and be doing her job correctly all at once. She walked off in a huff. I talked to her boss who backed me up on the matter.
Have I lost it or is it really not OK to open other people's mail?
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12-10-2007, 03:46 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Marathon Man | | | I don't like people opening my mail. It's addressed to me for a reason. |
12-10-2007, 03:47 PM
| | | | It's definitely illegal in the US and the UK. |
12-10-2007, 03:50 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Detroit | | | There are LAWS, with which you could punish her. Threaten to get her arrested for tampering with the federal mail system. |
12-10-2007, 03:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas | | | The US attorney isn't going to prosecute unless there is some major fraud or theft going on, but you can truthfully tell her that opening your mail is illegal. |
12-10-2007, 04:14 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Bay Area, California | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Blisshead  Have I lost it or is it really not OK to open other people's mail? | I'd agree that it is probably illegal but would be difficult to prosecute unless it could be proven that it wasn't accidental and that some level of fraud has occurred.
What you should do is send some fake letters to yourself that she might "accidentally" open but put something in it that would really freak her out. I'll leave that to your imagination. I could think of some fun things. 
- Dave |
12-10-2007, 04:28 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Grossman What you should do is send some fake letters to yourself that she might "accidentally" open but put something in it that would really freak her out. I'll leave that to your imagination. I could think of some fun things.
- Dave | 
This man is a genius! |
12-10-2007, 04:30 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Fort Collins, Colorado | | | Your boss needs to have a talk with her. He cannot knowingly let an employee commit a federal crime. Unless you have delegated authority to her to open your mail, her doing so is a federal violation.....but I agree with those above, it's nor worth taking action about other than talking with your boss.
You might also suggest to your boss that the Office Manager has better things to do with her valuable time than the grunt work of opening envelopes, and ask that she stop opening ALL mail. |
12-10-2007, 04:33 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Northern Va. | | | Sorry, but, in a business, all mail should be opened by a central administrator, all checks and invoices logged, and the mail then passed on to the named folks. It prohibits kick backs and outright theft. In any business that routinely receives checks, this is standard policy.
It can certainly be relaxed in a less check intensive setting, but any business owner has a right to establish mail policy for mail addressed to his or her business. There shouldn't be any private mail coming to a place of business you don't own, IMHO.
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12-10-2007, 04:46 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Grossman I'd agree that it is probably illegal but would be difficult to prosecute unless it could be proven that it wasn't accidental and that some level of fraud has occurred.
What you should do is send some fake letters to yourself that she might "accidentally" open but put something in it that would really freak her out. I'll leave that to your imagination. I could think of some fun things.
- Dave | Like some letters that say... stop opening my mail! |
12-10-2007, 05:05 PM
| | - that dog won't hunt, Monsignor. Moderator | | | | | Dave, you are a genius.
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12-10-2007, 05:10 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Leeds, UK | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan316 Threaten to get her arrested for tampering with the federal mail system. | Good plan, Blisshead you should definitely do this to your boss. It's a great idea. What could go wrong?
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12-10-2007, 05:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Leeds, UK | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jkritchey Sorry, but, in a business, all mail should be opened by a central administrator, all checks and invoices logged, and the mail then passed on to the named folks. It prohibits kick backs and outright theft. In any business that routinely receives checks, this is standard policy.
It can certainly be relaxed in a less check intensive setting, but any business owner has a right to establish mail policy for mail addressed to his or her business. There shouldn't be any private mail coming to a place of business you don't own, IMHO. | ... you're not wrong 
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12-10-2007, 05:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chicago, IL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Toasted Good plan, Blisshead you should definitely do this to your boss. It's a great idea. What could go wrong? | I don't think it was his boss opening his mail... more of a secretary...
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12-10-2007, 05:15 PM
| | - that dog won't hunt, Monsignor. Moderator | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Toasted Good plan, Blisshead you should definitely do this to your boss. It's a great idea. What could go wrong? | She's not my boss, she's a self serving nincompooop (sp?) with anger management issues.
Also, we could survive without my income for quite a long time.
Additionally, I can be a real prick when people are completely unreasonable with me. Quote: |
Originally Posted by [B jkritchey[/b]] Originally Posted by jkritchey Sorry, but, in a business, all mail should be opened by a central administrator, all checks and invoices logged, and the mail then passed on to the named folks. It prohibits kick backs and outright theft. In any business that routinely receives checks, this is standard policy.
It can certainly be relaxed in a less check intensive setting, but any business owner has a right to establish mail policy for mail addressed to his or her business. There shouldn't be any private mail coming to a place of business you don't own, IMHO. | The mail is work related with one exception and is addressed to me, not the business. So your saying it's standard policy and legal under the circumstances I laid out?
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12-10-2007, 05:20 PM
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12-10-2007, 05:25 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Northern Va. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Blisshead She's not my boss, she's a self serving nincompooop (sp?) with anger management issues.
Also, we could survive without my income for quite a long time.
Additionally, I can be a real prick when people are completely unreasonable with me.
The mail is work related with one exception and is addressed to me, not the business. So your saying it's standard policy and legal under the circumstances I laid out? | That's exactly what I am saying. As politely as possible
When I managed hotels, one part of our annual accounting audit was that we had to demonstrate an incoming mail control. Every envelope was opened before passing on to the addressee. Imagine if meeting planners were kicking back checks to the sales staff for discounts, etc....
All invoices logged as well, so a manager couldn't just destroy them, bringing the business into disrepute...
Your private mail, that is federally protected, goes to your address. Business mail goes to the business, and gets the business treatment.
That doesn't mean this admin isn't a douche....
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<Wry Witticism Here>
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12-10-2007, 05:31 PM
| | I <3 Darkstar | | Join Date: May 2003 Location: Riverside, CA | | | Have your personal mail sent to your personal address. If it is something personal, you have the right to mark it confidential. This includes social security cards, personal insurance forms, etc.
Anyways, it's standard form in most offices to have all mail opened by a central admin.
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12-10-2007, 05:31 PM
| | - that dog won't hunt, Monsignor. Moderator | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jkritchey That's exactly what I am saying. As politely as possible
When I managed hotels, one part of our annual accounting audit was that we had to demonstrate an incoming mail control. Every envelope was opened before passing on to the addressee. Imagine if meeting planners were kicking back checks to the sales staff for discounts, etc....
All invoices logged as well, so a manager couldn't just destroy them, bringing the business into disrepute...
Your private mail, that is federally protected, goes to your address. Business mail goes to the business, and gets the business treatment.
That doesn't mean this admin isn't a douche.... |
Gotcha. It's just that she is such a HUGE douche.... I thought personal mail (and it is allowed by company policy) would also be protected.
What kind of dumb ass criminal would get his kick back sent to work anyway?
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aka Blisshead.
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12-10-2007, 05:33 PM
| | - that dog won't hunt, Monsignor. Moderator | | | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Spoiled Grape Have your personal mail sent to your personal address. If it is something personal, you have the right to mark it confidential. This includes social security cards, personal insurance forms, etc.
Anyways, it's standard form in most offices to have all mail opened by a central admin. | It comes with a package that requires signing for, I only have one piece of personal mail sent to work, the owner knows about it and has OK'd it.
I've already had the delivery changed, even though it's a huge PITA for me.
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