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Maxime Bernier may have thought he was through the most awkward phase of his career, having resigned his cabinet position as minister of foreign affairs after admitting that he left sensitive government documents at the home of his ex-girlfriend, Julie Couillard, a woman with ties to biker gangs.

But now, a tell-all book by Ms. Couillard has introduced a new hurdle for Mr. Bernier - repairing his relationship with his boss, Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"When he was alone with me he never stopped talking against his leader. He reproached him for all kinds of things that very often had nothing to do with his ability as a prime minister; he was fat, he had a belly, he wasn't in shape, he spent his time drinking Pepsi," Ms. Couillard wrote in her new book, My Story.

She said that Mr. Bernier entertained thoughts of replacing Mr. Harper as the leader of the Conservative Party and sought support in Conservative circles.

Ms. Couillard added that Mr. Bernier was always picking fights with the Prime Minister's Office, and that he felt Mr. Harper was a "dictator who wants to control everything."

So what should an employee do when it has been revealed that they trash-talked about their boss?

It's a question that is being raised more often in a time of easily accessible electronic communication. An insult accidentally sent to "reply all" or a negative Facebook posting seen by the wrong eyes can lead to inner-office tension.

"It doesn't seem like there's an opportunity there for really saving face," said Shirin Khamisa, a Toronto-based career coach and founder of Careers by Design. "But once you've made that error and something's out there, it's much better to face up to it than try and sweep it under the rug."

Ms. Khamisa said it only makes things worse to pretend the harsh words were never spoken.

Owning up to it, however awkward, can be an opportunity to address issues that have been simmering for some time.

"Right after this happens might not be the best time to do that, but at least it brings an issue to the forefront that's been hidden or hasn't been attended to and has possibly been causing problems," she said. "You have to have the courage to take responsibility and to be honest about what happened."

As for bosses who realize their employees have been badmouthing them, Ms. Khamisa said that a decision must be made about how best to minimize the impact on the office dynamic.

"It really depends on your leadership style," she said. "You have to be able to deal with your own emotions and what that comment brought up for you, while figuring out what's best for your team."

People must also realize that their co-workers are human and will be hurt if they find out they're being disparaged.

"I think it can be a problem, especially in organizations where management is somewhat distanced, or it doesn't seem like everyone is on the same team," Ms. Khamisa said. "It can get into an us-versus-them mentality."

And once that sort of toxic energy is in the air, some experts believe the relationship is permanently damaged.

Marilyn Haight, author of Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Boss?, said that badmouthing your boss is a sign that the working relationship is on its last legs.

"Talking about your dissatisfaction only makes your situation worse," she said. "And getting caught in the act only adds fuel to the fire."

The only way to fix the situation, she believes, is to change jobs all together.

"Accelerate your plans to distance yourself from this boss, either by transferring or finding a job elsewhere," Ms. Haight said. "Stop talking about it now and start acting - update your résumé and search for a better situation for yourself."