Business owner refuses to share the PIN to sensitive work documents with their employee: ‘I want things done legally and safely’

An employee insists that a business owner share sensitive PIN information with her, then takes offense after they refuse to cough it up. Transparency doesn't, and probably shouldn't, exist at every level. At least, in this story's case.

How much should a business owner trust their employees? I mean, they hired their employees for multiple reasons. They're likely skillful, loyal, and reliable. You can never truly know if someone is trustworthy, because people switch up every day, hour, minute, and second. It's integral as a business owner to give your employees the benefit of the doubt, but when you're facing a possible breach of sensitive information, you have to be even the least bit paranoid. There, I said it. Sometimes paranoia is good and often prevents further issues in work and in life in general.

The next story focuses on a business owner who refuses to share their PIN with their employee, citing the fact that they want all high-level business and documents to be exclusive to their eyes. Scroll below to read the full story, then let us know what you think down below.

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Author image for Lana DeGaetano Lana DeGaetano
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  • a man standing in his office holding a secret folder of work documents
    via Tim van der Kuip for Unsplash

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "AITA for refusing to give a company my PIN and making an employee feel I don’t trust her?"

    I need to get this off my chest because I honestly can't relax. Context: I started a business with funding from an ESPA program in Greece.
    via XaqVa
  • To get the full funding, you have to submit 4 applications: one to get approved, one after opening, one after 6 months, and one after a year.
    via XaqVa
  • I'm currently on the 3rd stage. I hired a projects company to handle all the paperwork.
    via XaqVa
  • I pay them well, but from the very beginning I set clear boundaries about managing my government digital account: * I want to see and approve all documents before submission.
    via XaqVa
  • * Anything serious, like official statements or authorizations that require a PIN, I handle myself. We had already argued before about the PIN, because I don't agree to give it unless it's absolutely necessary.
    via XaqVa
  • At the 3rd stage, they needed papers from an office that's far from me. The office said I either had to appear in person or give digital authorization.
    via XaqVa

  • Digital authorization is the keyword here. Technically, an employee would be posing as the business owner in question if they use the PIN. Why? Well, the stated alternative is the business owner having to appear in person. So, not only is the businessowner uncomfortable with the idea of an employee having the passcode to sensitive information, but likely, it could even be against the rules.

    After having read through some comments, internet users are split. Can the employee complete her work without the pin? Is the business owner going through more trouble than it's worth to withhold this information? We're of the team that the information is important enough to be exclusive. What do you all think? Is the employee asking for too much, or is the business owner toeing the line of being too paranoid to function?

  • THe project company called me asking for my PIN because they had already prepared the authorization.
    via XaqVa
  • I asked to see it first. She said she couldn't send it because it was "ready on the government site." I said, "But you can take a screenshot, right?" Eventually, she sent one.
    via XaqVa
  • I saw that the authorization required typing information manually. So I told her I'd do it myself.
    via XaqVa
  • I just needed her personal info because she would represent me, and that's exactly what the government site requires.
    via XaqVa
  • a cell phone with a green button next to it indicating a PIN
    via Philip Oroni For Unsplash+
  • She refused, saying "I can't give you that, it's my personal data," and said she felt offended that I didn't trust her.
    via XaqVa
  • At that point, I felt completely gaslighted and I got angry angry enough that she could definitely hear it in my voice.
    via XaqVa
  • How can you ask for my most personal digital signature to act as me, but refuse to give your info when you're acting on my behalf?
    via XaqVa
  • I told her I just want things done legally and safely, and if needed, I'd go to the office myself.
    via XaqVa
  • We hung up. After a while, she called back and said she'd send me her info, but I had to delete it immediately.
    via XaqVa
  • Fine. But spoiler alert: all that data are always included in the authorization document anyway, so I could see it regardless.
    via XaqVa
  • Honestly, I just wanted to handle my PIN myself. She was mad. I was mad. But I feel like I was only trying to protect myself and do things properly.
    via XaqVa
  • So AITA for acting strictly and beign "difficult" and make young employee fell I do not trust her?
    via XaqVa
  • NTA your-mom04605 You are being perfectly reasonable. You are paying them for the service they provide. Their job is to provide the service within the boundaries you have established. I personally would not tolerate this from an employee and would terminate this relationship.
    via your-mom04605
  • saveyboy NTA. They work for you. You set the rules.
    via saveyboy
  • NTA. False_Fig_6013 You hired them. You made the rules clear. You're simply protecting private data. The fact that they aren't saying how high when you say jump on this would be a big problem for me. I'd go to the owner of the projects company and have a real heart to heart about the professionalism of the staff.
    via False_Fig_6013

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