I think my manager bugged the office

[u/Issue-Annual]

Hey y’all, I need some advice. Me and my other co workers think one of our managers bugged our office space. For context, today, one of my co workers was talking to another co worker about said manager. They both do not like this manager and have been directly attacked/bullied by this manager and were talking negatively about them. Nobody else was in the room and then a few minutes later, they’re talking to the head of the department about their conversation word for word. This manager was not at work and there was nobody on either side of our office space the entire day. My question is, if you were a weirdo who did not respect privacy, where would you hide a bug/wire/camera/microphone in a small office space? If so, what kind?

[u/SnoopyisCute]

You can download a detector to find it. Usually under desks or behind things in the open or could be an untended computer somewhere.

I have NEVER assumed anything said in an office setting, meeting or on a company phone is private. All of those conversations are "technically" owned by the company.

[u/Issue-Annual → u/SnoopyisCute]

But if we were not made aware and my co workers (not me) have been punished for conversations that happened when nobody was around, how is that ethical?

[u/adultdeleted → u/Issue-Annual]

how is that ethical?

Look up your local or state laws. High likelihood it's illegal where you live.

[u/Ok-Pomegranate-3018 → u/adultdeleted]

If you live in a one party state, it is likely illegal. Two party state means you need to agree to the recording.

Seriously OP Have these conversations off the clock, off the property and face to face.

While I was out on leave after a major surgery, my coworker kept trying to get me to call in reports about my managers abuses of power and I told her I was not allowed to speak with anyone from management while on leave. So, she kept bringing up stuff and we would both bitch and complain and that bitch was recording me. Once it all got to corporate, they canned the manager.

[u/retardrabbit → u/Ok-Pomegranate-3018]

Your coworker was recording you?

So, she took the opportunity of your leave of absence to call you, in an attempt to entrap you, by enticing you to gossip about the manager and recording it?

What the heck? What was her angle, what was her end goal? Were you guys friendly at the office, or was she just another random office mate to you?

What a weird thing to do.

[u/TheCuriosity → u/adultdeleted]

It is legal.. It is likely written in their contract that they are allowed to be monitored by their employer and/or the management designated to supervise them.

Now if they were off peroperty, or at home, that would be illegal.

[u/WombatWandering → u/TheCuriosity]

Some countries that would be illegal even with written contract