Almost a year ago I left a job at a small company I had been with for many years. At the time I gave notice, I was instructed that I was not to inform any customers of my departure. I respected that as I don’t believe it was my choice to make.
My issue: it’s recently been brought to my attention by several people that my former boss (the owner of the company) is cc’ing my old email address on communications with customers. I fully appreciate that the email profile bearing my name is owned by the company. I can also understand that they might want to keep it live to monitor the inbox for business-related emails. (Given my long tenure, this is certainly possible, even a year later).
However, it would seem to me that the only reason my former boss would cc my address at this juncture would be to misrepresent my current status with the company. This strikes me as ethically questionable at best. I should mention that other employees were also instructed to copy my address, so it’s not just a matter of it being habitual.
I would appreciate your thoughts as to whether this is common practice and whether I have any rights in terms of telling him to knock it off. Am I justified in being uncomfortable that someone is pretending I’m somewhere I’m not?
I think someone’s former boss is a bit whack-a-doodle. Find out what I say over at BNET.
Seems obvious to me: He's lying. That's what I'd call it.
The term "ethically challanged" seems to apply to her old boss in spades. It makes me wonder what else he might be doing with the writer's name?
IANAL, but my response to her old boss would be a one page "cease and desist" note from my attorney.
CC'ing is unethical in itself, but if he is also using the account to impersonate her he could be in big trouble. In some states it would be considered identity theft. She needs to find out from the others in her office if he is using her account for outgoing mail too. No matter what, he needs to hear her say "stop it".
Unless you have an explicit contractual obligation, I'd say your promise/obligation to not tell customers you were leaving ended the minute you left the employ of the company.
Contact those former customers and tell them you moved on a year ago. If you are subject to a non-compete agreement, simply advise them in your emails that you are not soliciting their business.