Updated OP: I just lost my job for going above and beyond.

[onza]

Cold call some lawyers.

 

[Acanthus]

How did your boss know that you "hacked the network"?

Trying to score yourself an advantage in an interview is not "going above and beyond". You didn't do it to benefit the company, you did it to benefit YOURSELF. You could have talked to someone in IT, or asked permission before you did it. You chose not to.

I have gone above and beyond many times in the past. Repaired machines, troubleshooting software and displays, etc. According to HR, this would also be "outside of my job description and tampering with equipment"

 

[Ns1]

sue first ask questions later.

Their argument was "you were in an unauthorized area on the computer, therefore it doesn't matter what commands you entered"

and find out where it says cmd prompt = unauthorized area

 

[Acanthus]

I certainly wouldn't post on a public forum if I were considering involving legal counsel about it.

There is no classified information in here.

 

[Arkitech]

UNLESS you are IT you never mess with the command propt. there is no reason to do it.

HR and such are idiots and have no clue that /ipconfig is. all they see is a lot of numbers scroll by.

they take this as you are either installing software, hacking, or worse.

never a good idea.

also as six mentioned this was not "above and beyond" for his job and in no way would have helped him in a interview

I guess it depends on the company. I've worked in IT for about 2 decades and I've never encountered any policies where you could'nt do something as simple as gather IP information on your workstation.

 

[onza]

I bet you checked ATOT from work? GLHF!

 

[Acanthus]

I bet you checked ATOT from work? GLHF!

Nope, the internet was blocked entirely in our department.

 

[sixone]

I have gone above and beyond many times in the past. Repaired machines, troubleshooting software and displays, etc. According to HR, this would also be "outside of my job description and tampering with equipment"

And they'd be right. Helping someone else get their work done IS going above and beyond. In this case, your use of the command prompt was for YOUR benefit ONLY. You were snooping in a work area that you had no legitimate business purpose to be in. It's no different than if you were snooping in your boss's desk.

 

[Arkitech]

sue first ask questions later.



and find out where it says cmd prompt = unauthorized area

Exactly. If it was truly unauthorized more than likely IT could have easily disabled/locked out the ability to run a cmd prompt from non-authorized workstations.

 

[Ns1]

Exactly. If it was truly unauthorized more than likely IT could have easily disabled/locked out the ability to run a cmd prompt from non-authorized workstations.

+1

 

[Arkitech]

And they'd be right. Helping someone else get their work done IS going above and beyond. In this case, your use of the command prompt was for YOUR benefit ONLY. You were snooping in a work area that you had no legitimate business purpose to be in. It's no different than if you were snooping in your boss's desk.

really? wow, that's some comparison.

 

[Ns1]

really? wow, that's some comparison.

how I solved that problem


View Post Today, 12:57 PM
Remove user from ignore listsixone
This message is hidden because sixone is on your ignore list.

 

[Acanthus]

And they'd be right. Helping someone else get their work done IS going above and beyond. In this case, your use of the command prompt was for YOUR benefit ONLY. You were snooping in a work area that you had no legitimate business purpose to be in. It's no different than if you were snooping in your boss's desk.

What.

This doesn't make logical sense.

This is an unlocked area of the machine. It would be akin to looking at what is hung on the walls in the bosses office.

 

[Acanthus]

Exactly. If it was truly unauthorized more than likely IT could have easily disabled/locked out the ability to run a cmd prompt from non-authorized workstations.

The employee manual is very non-specific.

It does not say ANYTHING about this situation other than "tampering with cameras or other surveillance equipment is prohibited".

 

[Arkitech]

how I solved that problem


View Post Today, 12:57 PM
Remove user from ignore listsixone
This message is hidden because sixone is on your ignore list.

lol, I think you may be on to something by blocking him.

 

[Ns1]

lol, I think you may be on to something by blocking him.

her

 

[waggy]

Saying that i understand how the network is set up, and have worked with all of the associated hardware and camera equipment in the past would not help my case?

with HR that is doing the hireing? not really.

talk with IT latter and ask questions shrug. while w hat you did was minor you should never mess with the command prompt at work. HR are idiots and management even worse.

 

[Phokus]

OP is capitalism 101, the idiots get rewarded and the competent get shafted.

 

[Anubis]

her

shens

 

[Acanthus]

with HR that is doing the hireing? not really.

talk with IT latter and ask questions shrug. while w hat you did was minor you should never mess with the command prompt at work. HR are idiots and management even worse.

HR was not hiring for this position, my direct boss in surveillance was.

 

[sixone]

What.

This doesn't make logical sense.

This is an unlocked area of the machine. It would be akin to looking at what is hung on the walls in the bosses office.

You needed a command prompt to get there. Just like opening an unlocked drawer.

 

[Pheran]

Those of you in this thread siding with the company have no idea what you are talking about. I am a network engineer, and none of the commands he ran bear any resemblance at all to hacking. To claim he was hacking is absolutely absurd.

Acanthus, I'm sorry you lost your job. In the long run, it will probably be a good thing since you are apparently working for morons. In the short term, it sucks that you have to job hunt without a source of income - but hopefully you can apply for unemployment.

 

[KB]

Long story short, my supervisor (whom had also put in for the position, and was far less qualified, he didnt even know how to install a wireless router in his home) turned me for "hacking the network".


Is this wrongful termination? I don't know how the law works.

Sounds like the boss got rid of you to eliminate the competition.

Companies, depending on the state, can usually fire you for anything except age, religion and sexual orientation. I don't think you did anything wrong. If my IT staff wasn't allowing people to use the command prompt we would block it with group policy, but it sounds like you worked for idiots, so good luck.

 

[edro]

So any person who checks the weather or traffic on a company computer can potentially be fired?

Yes. Unauthorized use of company property.

It is just used as an excuse to fire people who are habitual rule breakers or people they want gone for other reasons.

Check your HR rule book or the disclaimer when you log onto your computer.
I bet it mentions it.

In the real world, browsing the web is rarely scorned against unless it greatly affects your productivity or can have legal problems (looking at improper content).

 

[Udgnim]

if the supervisor can't install a home wireless router, should have just told him you were troubleshooting network connectivity issues with your workstation so you would be better informed to provide IT with information when you contacted help desk