Are you being blamed for something you didn’t do in the workplace?
Perhaps you’re trying to say “it’s not my fault,” but you’re worried it’s too unprofessional or rude.
Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn more about it.
This article will explain how to say “it’s not my fault” professionally.
Is It Professional to Say “It’s Not My Fault”?
It is not professional to say “it’s not my fault.”
It’s a bit rude to say something like this in emails. After all, it suggests that you’re not to blame for a mistake, and you’d like to turn the blame to someone else.
For the most part, a phrase like this won’t make you look very good. It’s also not a good way to try and impress your employer. So, be careful using it.
Still, you can check out this message sample to learn more about it:
It’s not my fault that this happened, but I’ll still help you to fix the issues. Let me know what I can do.
Pros
- It’s a decent attempt at trying to shift blame from yourself to someone else.
- It’s clear and direct in what it’s trying to achieve.
Cons
- It’s unprofessional, and it is never a good idea to include it in an email.
- It’s quite rude and can make you appear whiny.
Well, it’s clear that “it’s not my fault” isn’t the best phrase to use professionally. So, it’s time for you to explore your options to see what else might work instead.
Keep reading to learn how to politely say “it’s not my fault.” We’ve compiled a list of some of the best synonyms we think will work in your formal emails.
What to Say Instead of “It’s Not My Fault”
- I bear no culpability for this
- I am not the cause of this issue
- Responsibility does not lie with me in this instance
- I’m not to blame for the situation
- I am not accountable for what occurred
- I’m afraid I can’t take responsibility for this
- I did not contribute to the problem at hand
- I’m not the one at fault here
- I am not the source of this problem
1. I Bear No Culpability for This
We recommend starting with “I bear no culpability for this” instead of “it’s not my fault.”
This is a great way to sound formal and direct. It shows that you do not want to take responsibility for something you don’t feel like you did wrong.
Therefore, you can use this when writing honestly to your boss.
It lets them know that you feel it’s unfair for you to be blamed for a mistake.
You can also review this email sample to learn more about it:
Dear Mr. Smith,
I bear no culpability for this mistake.
It had nothing to do with me, but I understand your confusion.
Best wishes,
Samantha Roberts
2. I Am Not the Cause of This Issue
Next, you can say “this isn’t my fault” by writing “I am not the cause of this issue.”
Often, this phrase allows you to pass the blame to someone else. It shows you did not cause a problem, but you have a good idea of who did.
For the most part, this is an excellent way to get in your boss’s good books. However, if you tell on one of your coworkers, you have to remember that you might lose some favor with them!
Still, if you’re trying to avoid taking the fall for something you didn’t do, it’s always worth using a phrase like this one.
So, check out this sample email if you want to learn more about it:
Dear Ms. Rosa,
I am not the cause of this issue.
I’d like to look into it further to see what went wrong, though.
Thanks so much,
Tanner Willis
3. Responsibility Does Not Lie With Me in This Instance
You can also include “responsibility does not lie with me in this instance” as a professional way to say “it’s not my fault.”
The phrase is formal and direct. It shows that you did not have any involvement in something going wrong, so you’d appreciate it if you weren’t blamed for it.
For the most part, this works well to retain a more honest and open dialog with your boss.
It’ll show them that you’re not willing to take the fall for something, but you might be willing to help them figure out who made a mistake.
Also, you can check out this example if you need more guidance:
Dear Miss Klink,
Responsibility does not lie with me in this instance.
I’ll see if there’s anything I can do to help you figure out what happened.
Yours,
Ryan Howard
4. I’m Not to Blame for the Situation
You can simplify things by writing “I’m not to blame for the situation.” This is a straightforward and friendly way to say “it’s not my fault.”
Often, this works best when you have a good relationship already in place with the recipient.
For instance, you can use it when writing to your professor. It shows that you aren’t willing to take responsibility for an issue if you think some other students were involved in it.
If you’re still confused, check out this example:
Dear Dr. Martens,
I’m not to blame for the situation.
However, I’ll be happy to help fix it.
Yours,
Georgia Bradbury
5. I Am Not Accountable for What Occurred
Another way to say “it’s not my fault” is “I am not accountable for what occurred.”
Generally, this is to the point and sincere. So, it shows that you realize a mistake was made, but you didn’t have anything to do with it.
If you’re writing honestly to your boss, this phrase should work well. It shows that you do not take any responsibility for a mistake, and you think someone else should take the blame.
You can also check out this email example to learn a bit more:
Dear Mr. Price,
I am not accountable for what occurred with this project.
However, I would like you to understand that I don’t blame my peers, either.
Best wishes,
Sam Jenkins
6. I’m Afraid I Can’t Take Responsibility for This
You can also write “I’m afraid I can’t take responsibility for this.”
This is an honest and direct way to let an employer know that you didn’t make a mistake.
It shows that the mistake lies with someone else, so you’d appreciate it if they didn’t try to blame you.
Generally, this goes a long way to proving your innocence. It also helps a lot more if you can provide your employer with information explaining who (or what) is actually at fault.
Check out the following example if you want to learn more about it:
Dear Mr. Anderson,
I’m afraid I can’t take responsibility for this.
My team was not behind this project, so we did not control the outcome.
Yours,
Kyla Ren
7. I Did Not Contribute to the Problem at Hand
It’s also smart to write “I did not contribute to the problem at hand” instead of “it’s not my fault.”
This is a formal way to show you didn’t have any input when something went wrong.
Saying you “did not contribute” implies you played no part in an error or mistake. It’s straightforward and sincere, so it should be enough for the recipient to understand you.
We recommend reviewing this email sample if you still need help with it:
Dear Ms. Dover,
I did not contribute to the problem at hand.
However, I will be more than happy to help you fix it.
All the best,
Milo Reacher
8. I’m Not the One at Fault Here
Next, you might want to use “I’m not the one at fault here” as another way to say “it’s not my fault.”
You might want to use this when contacting a coworker. Perhaps they’ve made an error, but they’re trying to pin it on you.
Well, this is a great response to include in formal writing.
It’s not overly accusatory. Instead, it shows that you’re not willing to take the blame for something you know you didn’t do.
It’s honest and to the point, so it’s up to your coworker to decide what to do with the information.
You can also check out this example if you want more help:
Dear Andrew,
I’m not the one at fault here, so I’m not willing to input this data.
I’ll still help you to correct the errors, though.
Yours,
Sarah Catter
9. I Am Not the Source of This Problem
Finally, you may want to write “I am not the source of this problem.”
This suggests that you’re not the reason for something going wrong in a formal capacity.
It’s a useful choice when writing to your boss to let them know you didn’t do anything wrong and a mistake is not your fault.
Also, it’s good to review this example to learn more about it:
Dear Mr. Kennett,
I am not the source of this problem.
I’ll do what I can to find out more about what went wrong, though.
Yours,
Tyler Woodchurch