22 replies to this topic

[Rivanna777]

I installed CCleaner on all of my home computers, and also installed it on my work PC last Spring 2008. My supervisor is just now seeing that I did so and fired me on the spot because it was determined not only by them (a law firm) but also by the employment commission, that the program "jeopardized the computer system" of the business. I'm in the process of fighting all of them on this, and I feel so unjustified. Any comments????

(And this was my dream job I had worked so hard for!! And all I was doing was trying to make the computer run more efficiently and keep my co-workers from snooping!!!!!)

(P.S. I still love CCLeaner!!!)

[Robbie]

I would never dream of installing any program on a work computer unless I had permission - I'd imagine I'd either get sacked or at the very least receive a severe reprimand.

I'm sorry to hear that this has happened to you though and hope things work out for you.

[Andavari]

That's something rather interesting to share, and I agree with Robbie's first sentence. There's many places of work that will fire someone for installing software, and sometimes assuming something is alright can bite you on the backside ten fold.

Good luck finding another job.

[Corona]

Wow, that stinks. But yeah, every company is gonna have a strict policy on introducing new software in their PCs.

[Rivanna777]

Well, that's just it. There was never a policy and as far as everyone knew our computers were ours to take care of the way we saw fit. The point of my post is to find out if the program itself could screw up something in a server by cleaning out temp files. Most of the boxes towards the bottom of the check list I always left unchecked b/c I was unsure of them. Is it possible for this program to put a server's data at harm's risk??? Is is possible to have put my pc at risk???

[CTskifreak]

If there is no policy, then there has to be a way to fight it. I have never heard of CCleaner being albe to clean out things across the network. I might be a young adult, but I think you will be able to fight it.

AJ

[1984]

First off, any company that would fire you for something so petty isn't worth working for. Secondly, always ask before you do something/anything with an employer and/or their equipment. You pretty much belong to them during your work hours (some of us belong to them on our off hours too......). Also, I would look at your employment contract. If you haven't violated it, you could sue them for wrongful dismissal. Unless you have a union. Then you would have to file a grievance through them.

[Augeas]

You work for a 'law firm', and you installed unathorised software on a work pc? Phew. Severe admonishment if you're lucky, if you're unlucky....

[Keithuk]

Welcome to Piriform Rivanna.

Well I don't think you are to blame for this considering you must have admin rights to install CC.

At the college where I work we've used CC for 5 years that I know of. A couple years ago I sent a request to the IT techs to install a newer version of CC as mine was about 17 versions behind. The reply was we don't install CC anymore as its only for private use (bull), plus it has a registry editor which we don't like users using.

So to get around this you use the INI option and save the CC folder to a flash drive and run it from there that way you don't have to install anything. Our company is very strict on what is installed on any computer. Only the IT tech know the password for administrator so only those guys can install. We also have so security software that reports back to the server what software is installed on every computer.

So in your case Rivanna if they didn't want you to install anything they shouldn't have given you admin rights, so its their fault.

[Augeas]

Keithuk, on May 12 2009, 12:08 PM, said:

So in your case Rivanna if they didn't want you to install anything they shouldn't have given you admin rights, so its their fault.

You must have been listening to too many honourable MP's excuses, Keith. It wasn't forbidden, so I did it!

Employees still have a duty of care (don't they?) and I don't think that loading unathorised software comes under that. After all, CCleaner.exe could well be anyoldcrap.exe renamed, or being used to remove traces of activity.

Rivanna777, on May 11 2009, 05:48 PM, said:

And all I was doing was trying to make the computer run more efficiently and keep my co-workers from snooping!!!!!)

Ho Hum. Stopping your fellow workers from looking at er, just what?

If you think I'm unduly harsh then nothing I say or do will have the slightest impact on your future, R. And nor will any of these posts. I should beg HR to take you back with a final warning, it's about all you can do.

[Icedrake]

Losing your job because of a program must suck. Hope you find a new (and better) job!

[Andavari]

I almost think some of the firings are due to the world economy, and employers looking for any excuse to save themselves money by getting rid of anyone doing any offense that would typically result into at least a warning, or a 90 day working penalty where if someone messed up again they could then be fired.

[ident]

Try not to feel to bad. try put it down to the state of the uk at the moment. Maybe they was looking to try save overheads and used you as a scape goat?

hope you land on your feat

edit: I just noticed Andavari is on the same wave length & already said what i felt

chin up

[Keithuk]

Augeas, on May 12 2009, 02:33 PM, said:

You must have been listening to too many honourable MP's excuses, Keith.

No I don't listen to any MP's because they are full of ****, I'm just stating the obvious.

[Jrmint97]

It's just dang program... I cant believe you got fired for using it.

[Groonx]

No, nobody in his right mind would fire you for using CCleaner. I've used computers since 1986, and I've also taught business communications courses at universities. It seems to me that your ideal job was possibly not ideal.

To fire you is to show a lack of perspective, a lack of proportion, and a lack of perception. It is also very likely illegal.

If the company was so concerned about employees modifying their computer systems, then it behooved the company to place blocks on their systems to prevent that from happening. That is so very easy to do! And I have to wonder about any company that would maintain a system with such vulnerability that someone could set up a program like CCleaner and bring the entire business to its knees.

I think you are dealing with ignorance. Are you sure you want that job?

As you can see in surfing the web, there are vast differences in computer savvy between different companies.

For your future, look for something better. When you get it, negotiate a higher salary—try asking for 5% more than whatever you are offered. And ask, just incidentally, about their computer constraints—but don't mention this incident, because until they know you, this story would only work against you. (Never go in to a new situation while you are harbouring a complaint—no matter how justified a complaint—about an old situation.)

In the long run, you'll do better. When you encounter the short end of the stick from people like that, just file your new knowledge and insights away and remember them so that YOU will never be so unreasonable. Sooner or later, you yourself will have the choice to make a good decision or a bad decision in some same-same but different situation. When it's your turn, make the right decision.

Good luck.

[Augeas]

Groonx, on May 14 2009, 12:17 AM, said:

No, nobody in his right mind would fire you for using CCleaner.

No company (except small non-critical businesses) would countenance employees installing unathorised software on their computers. Stroll into your bank/doctors/accountants/lawers/hospital and be told 'Yes, we let employees install what they want on our computers,' and you would run a mile. The company could be sued into oblivion for letting this happen.

The argument that the company shouldn't have allowed me to do it is tosh. Employees have moral and legal responsibilites and duties.

It's only CCleaner? How do you know that? Even if it were only CC, there's no list of good and bad applications.

R works for a law firm (Good Grief!) and has admitted using unathorised software to remove traces of activity on a company computer. Doesn't stand a chance.

[hazelnut]

Although I may not have worded my reply like Augeas has, I must say that I agree with his overall assessment of the situation.

[larry39]

Rivanna,

All I can offer is sympathy but I think you got a bum rap. Employers are always asking their employees to show initiative, think outside the box, work smarter not harder, and countless other 'slogans of the month'. Yet when an employee does that, they get punished.

Even if your company had the legal right to fire you, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. I think you got fired as Andavari mentioned. They are trying to reduce headcount.

Hope you find another job soon, preferably with a company that treats their people more fairly.

[toml_12953]

Augeas, on May 12 2009, 09:33 AM, said:

If you think I'm unduly harsh then nothing I say or do will have the slightest impact on your future, R. And nor will any of these posts. I should beg HR to take you back with a final warning, it's about all you can do.

Not in the US, it's not. There have been many successful wrongful termination lawsuits bright about against companies that had no written policy in place. Not only for installing computer software but for just about any job-related activity you can imagine. Even if a policy is common knowledge and assumed to be understood by everyone, if it's not in writing, it doesn't exist as a legal reason for firing. Your country may have different laws but if the OP is in the US he has a good case.

I'm not surprised a law firm would think it could get away with such behavior, though. I once worked for a liquor manufacturer whose legal department is bigger than most entire companies. The legal department asked me to make copies of a commercial package on each PC in their department even though we only had a license for one PC. I pointed out that fact and they told me, "That company won't try to enforce the license. If they do, we'll keep them tied up in court so long, they'll go out of business trying to pay the legal fees." God bless lawyers!