This is not mine!

I was notifying department X that their employee could not be put on a Worker's Comp leave of absence because their Maternity leave (that should have ended in January) was still active. Once the request to return from Maternity leave had been processed, I would then process the Worker's Comp leave. I copied Ms. LOA in HR's Leave of Absence team, just as an FYI. She sits just a few steps from me.

"Hi Department X
I received paperwork from the Leave of Absence Team to put employee X on a Worker's Comp leave but I noticed that she was never returned from her Maternity leave. Please send a request to return her from Maternity leave. Once that's done, I'll be able to process the worker's comp leave. Thanks! Rodrigo"

Ms. LOA responds to me and to department X, which is a no no. There's no need to copy department X on internal matters:
"Hi Rodrigo - This is leave belongs to my co-worker, no me. i.e. I never put this employee on any leaves. Thanks."

I respond to Ms. LOA:
"Ms. LOA, I copied you because the new leave is yours and I won't be processing it until she is returned from the old leave. Also, please be careful when copying the departments on internal HR matters. It opens the door for them to "attack" us. Trust me on this one... Rodrigo"

I insisted that it was "hers" because as far as I knew, Ms. LOA handled all paperwork for Worker's Comp. Her co-worker handled Medical, Maternity, Personal leaves. She did not like my answer:

"Rodrigo - Please trust me on this. I DID NOT do any leave for this employee. My co-worker must have done it. Also, I play it straight; with everyone, "political" or not...I don't care who attacks me, I go with the facts, and if "they" have better facts than they win :) - it's life, it's no big deal...there's always another piranha out there and another mountain to climb...If you are concerned about the people you email than please don't copy me on those emails.Send me a separate email if you feel I need to know something. Email is touchy, but you control your communications, I don't."

There was no need to copy department X on the initial email. At my current employer, you have to be very careful what you "let out" of HR. A lot of folks out there are just waiting for HR to slip on anything. They'll then use the ammo against us any way possible. But as you can see, Ms. LOA is not concerned...