nobody gets it.. we don't know who recorded the conversation or how the boss got it.. shouldn't have made it this far with out more info

Because it's a nice, juicy detail that tells us that OP's ex-boyfriend is so incredibly lame and childish.

@46: Who said the conversation took place at work? She could have vented to him at some point outside of the work place and he was lame enough to record it. Most people don't expect to be recorded when they vent to their loved ones.

Yes, because I'm sure you've never made a comment about something that's pissed you off at work/school/in general to a family member or loved one, how dare OP do so without expecting professional repercussions? It's idiots like you who make it so much easier for employers to feel entitled to dig around in our personal lives, things that are irrelevant to our jobs, or occur off the clock during our personal time. It is beyond absurd to expect someone to be so paranoid about their significant other recording them in an attempt to blackmail them down the road, that they censor every negative statement they've ever made in an attempt to be 'more professional.' Get a life.

P.S. It probably is illegal in some places. Most companies have official policies that allow them to monitor their employees, those policies specifically outline those methods, IE your phone conversations may be monitored and your internet usage may be monitored. Those policies generally don't include, 'your boyrfriend may be recording your conversations, for our personal use, to be used in the event that you dump him, in an attempt to get you fired.'