Did I Do Something Socially Unacceptable Here?

[MDWCT2018]

I work as a legal assistant at a law firm. I am very good at what I do, I am honest and exceptionally hardworking. I will work through lunch breaks if needed etc and I am the one person it seems for all jobs (this is going to change, believe me!).

One of the law firm partners asked me to help his secretaries with the re-organising of his office. This is not part of my contracted duties however I obliged in the spirit of being helpful etc.

When re-organising there was a huge stack of out of date law books the partner had labelled as being rubbish ie to be thrown away.

Being a legal assistant and interested in the subject matter I took those books and kept them on my desk to have a quick read through before I threw it away. Must have been on my desk for about 2-3 days and the partner then saw it. He asked what they were doing there and I said I was curious about the subject and just wanted to have a read.

Well..... he went to my boss and said I dont know what about me but my boss called me in and had a stern word with me about how I should not help myself to other people's belongings, even if it was headed for rubbish. And now the partner wanted the books back!

I did not waste my energy explaining that I was just reading the books, I hadn't taken them home they were on my work desk and once I had a quick I was going to throw them away as the partner originally wanted. Instead, I simply just gave the books back and believe me I am not going to do anything I am not contracted to if this pettiness is the culture of the firm.

My question is - was it wrong of me to take the books to read, the books that the partner originally said he did not want and to throw them away in the rubbish? it is not like I was going to keep them or taken them home ... they were on my work desk.

I really struggle to see what I did wrong here? It is not a case of asking for his permission to read them because they get irritated if you ask them questions as they are busy with clients work etc. He wanted them thrown away For Funks Sake!

[waterboatman]

I don't think you did anything wrong. If they were to be thrown out I can't see why you shouldn't read them if you wish. But I would have taken them home.

[emmie]

unless they were sensitive documents and should have been shredded...

[waterboatman]

Law books, out of date emmie.

[MDWCT2018]

Hi Emmie ... good point no they were not confidential items as they would indeed have to be shredded .... they were just textbooks/reference books from the 1970s that you could buy in any bookshop. It is like throwing out yesterdays newspapers

[emmie]

then stick to what you normally do and forget about it. its not worth fretting,

[davebro]

Sounds like partner A thought you were getting a bit above yourself reading up about the law & should be taken down a peg. What an ***!

Forget it (meantime) and seek out opportunities for a move (medium - long term). Maybe you could study & get better qualified?

[fiction-factory]

Maybe the partner did not want out of date books in the office in case someone used them in error/ignorance so he instructed that they be discarded. It'd be better to ask next time if you disagree with an instruction. Just put it down to experience

[MallyJ]

I would have asked if I might have them to browse though first. I think it is always sensible to ask and then no mistake can be made. Where I live unwanted but often brand bew items are often left at the end of gardens in an alley for people to help themselves...on the few occasions we have wanted one of those items I have asked before taking...there can be no argument then

[Mozz71]

I don't think you did anything wrong, and your intentions sound honest. Just put it down to experience and remember to ask if the owner minds you keeping something in similar circumstances in the future.

[fiction-factory]

>"I did not waste my energy explaining that I was just reading the books, I hadn't taken them home they were on my work desk and once I had a quick I was going to throw them away as the partner originally wanted. "
Maybe it wouldn't have been a waste of energy if you had explained.

>"One of the law firm partners asked me to help his secretaries with the re-organising of his office. This is not part of my contracted duties however I obliged in the spirit of being helpful etc"
It would be unusual for a contract to be so specific about what was and wasn't included in the role. It is common for job descriptions to include something along the lines of 'any other duties as required'. You could argue that something like mending the roof was not part of your job but helping reorganise the office sounds quite reasonable to me- and could be seen as a good opportunity.

[Old_Geezer]

I guess, strictly speaking you didn't have the owner's permission and should have asked. Although I suspect many wouldn't see it a necessary. Probably best to take the life lesson for future reference. Irritated or not, that's an excuse; permission is still permission and the instruction was to sling them. Put it behind you. Can't win them all. Ought not be a big deal. Come spring you'll feel far less emotional about being spoken to about it.

[Prudie]

I also don't think you did anything wrong but it is a lesson to learn - you definitely should have asked first and you definitely should not have taken them home (which you didn't). That could be construed as stealing irrelevant of whether he was going to throw them away.

[MDWCT2018]

Thanks everyone. I will next time err on the side of caution and ask permission but I think small minded petty people like the firm would get miffed at even the question being asked! Safer to just keep myself to myself and seek new horizons =)

[TonyV]

The term "rubbish" written on books could been a personal critique, I'm sure he would be more than able to dispose of them, but for you lesson learnt.