Can my supervisor do this?

Question

My sibling and I work at the same company. Whenever my supervisor can't get in touch with them, they reach out to me to speak to my sibling. They even go as far as talking about my sibling's disciplinary actions with me. My sibling and I work in different departments and are essentially doing  the same roll. Can my supervisor do this? How do I handle this?

Neil Pedersen · Answer

There is no law that prohibits your supervisor from speaking to your sibling about things other than inherently private information, like heath issues.  Discipline is not inherently private and can be discussed amount management and employees.  Please beware, the other answer provided was purportedly "AI Assisted" and is wrong where it states the contrary.  AI is not all it is cracked up to be. Even this posting attorney says at the bottom of his fine print disclosure on a different site says that “artificial intelligence is oftentimes incorrect and should certainly not be relied upon in any way, shape, or form.”  I could not agree more.  Good luck to you.

James L. Arrasmith · Answer

In California, your supervisor should not be discussing your sibling’s disciplinary actions or any other confidential work matters with you. This could be a violation of your sibling's privacy rights under employment laws. These discussions should remain between your sibling and their supervisor. 
 
You’re not obligated to relay messages from your supervisor to your sibling, as it’s unprofessional for them to expect you to act as a go-between. Your roles and departments are separate, so your professional boundaries should be respected. 
 
You can address this situation by politely but firmly telling your supervisor that you'd prefer to keep your work separate from your sibling's. It’s important to maintain professionalism and protect your sibling’s privacy by not engaging in these conversations.

Q: Can my supervisor do this?