A dilemma at work - what would you do?

[Alan Medic]

I'm working in an accounts dept. in a family owned business. I don't have a permanent position though. While covering for a colleague who was on paternity leave I discovered proof with 99.99% certainty that he has stolen cash from the company. What I found may just be the thin end of the wedge. The guy also has a very strong motive as he is helping to support a partner who is the mother of his child but who lives several hours out of London. The MD appears to think the sun shines out of his bottom.

I'm probably leaving this place in a month.Should I report what I know?

[Huguenot]

I don't think you've got any choice but to highlight it.

I would be very wary of accusing anyone - but I would feel quite happy in asking for someone's help in trying to help you resolve an inconsistency in the acccounts.

This isn't just an issue of right or wrong, but also self-preservation. If someone can embezzle funds, they'll also be prepared to let someone else carry the can for it: what better target than the temp?

[Annette Curtain]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm working in an accounts dept. in a family owned

> business. I don't have a permanent position

> though. While covering for a colleague who was on

> paternity leave I discovered proof with 99.99%

> certainty that he has stolen cash from the

> company. What I found may just be the thin end of

> the wedge. The guy also has a very strong motive

> as he is helping to support a partner who is the

> mother of his child but who lives several hours

> out of London. The MD appears to think the sun

> shines out of his bottom.

>

> I'm probably leaving this place in a month.Should

> I report what I know?

Yes without f-in doubt.

It's theft & it could one day cripple the owners business.

Don't expect a pat on the back though

BUT it is the right thing to do.

NETTE(6)

[RosieH]

Agree with the above. But I would be very wary of ascribing any potential motive. Keep it purely factual.

[womanofdulwich]

all of hte above, but hte sooner the better.

[SpaghettiSue40]

Speaking from experience I wouldnt. Families can be a bit weird.If it is a family run business and they are related and the boss thinks the sun shines out of his backside,he may know about it and even be in on it. Families may stick together and it may backfire on you so Id say keep out of it, as an outsider it has nothing to do with you.

[karter]

That maybe so SpaghettiSue but he should be professional and point out to the boss this discrepancy.

[Damian H]

ou need the RISE Model.

[SpaghettiSue40]

Karter he could but it might be a case of shoot the messenger and they could make life hard for him until he leaves. This happened to me some years ago and it wasnt worth the stress.

[karter]

SpaghettiSue40 Wrote:

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> Karter he could but it might be a case of shoot

> the messenger and they could make life hard for

> him until he leaves. This happened to me some

> years ago and it wasnt worth the stress.

That's why i say point out the discrepancy, not grass the person up and explain motive. Capisci Spaghetti?

[Huguenot]

Same reason for me Spaghetti - no acccusation is necessary, just a little help required with a discrepancy... karter knows it ;-)

[SpaghettiSue40]

He may even be working and signing on ! You just never know what people may say and do to retaliate.I would leave it.

[Huguenot]

That's an interesting one Spaghetti - what level of crime would you have to witness before you'd try and draw someone's attention to it?

[DJKillaQueen]

I'd definitely raise it but stick to the financial facts. The books don't balance, explain why and let them ask who is responsible. You can present a view on that but then it's up to the owner to decide if they believe you and how they want to handle it. They employ you to manage their accounts, so I think part of that responsibility is to inform them of theft or fraud. You don't want to find them subjected to an audit down the line and for it to find that you never informed them at the time.

I had a similar experience when I took over at my TA. I did an audit of the accounts (because I could see something was wrong just from the annual financial statements). I put together a report and immediately took it to the people who needed to know. It was absolutely the right thing to do but of course those that were implicated have an absolute hatred for what I did (but who cares about them).

[SpaghettiSue40]

What I am trying to say is, unless he was hired to pick apart their accounts and unless Alan and his family are squeeky clean themselves, leave other families alone.

[DJKillaQueen]

I totally disagree. The accountant he's covering for is stealing - he has a professional and moral obligation to report that.....if only to protect his own reputation.

[Huguenot]

Ah right.

Well I reckon that if you're working in the accounts department, it's pretty safe to say that he has responsibility for accounts rather than swimming pools - and that includes never knowingly letting an erroneus set of accounts pass his desk unaddressed.

Could see him in trouble.

Cross-post

[maxxi]

Accuse the miscreant face to face and promise to keep quiet if he bungs you a few quid.

*If you don't grass him up asap this is what he will say you did anyway*

[SpaghettiSue40]

Families and keep your big nose out. I only came on here looking for a localish single man. I will stick to that. I am sorry no one agrees with me :(

[camberwell70]

I thought you were an ambulance driver.

How disappointing :(

[Frankito]

Don't be disheartened pastaSue, a bit of healthy debate isn't a bad thing. I hope you don't throw your toys out of the pram so easily with your next ED man; you won't last long.

[SpaghettiSue40]

It is hard not to loose faith Frankito :( Where is my next ED man, is the question ?

[Frankito]

Not where Alan works, that's for sure...

The best things come when you least expect them.. Have patience newbie.

[Frankito]

So Meds, what have you decided as your next step with work?

[LadyDeliah]

Alan, I would get all your concerns down in writing as clearly as possible and let the boss know as soon as you can. What they do with that information is up to them, but at least you will have discharged your duty and covered your back.

I had an ex-colleague try to pass off a pretty serious mistake and large overcharge she had made onto me in a place I worked in the past. Luckily I had written my concerns about her actions in an email to my boss before she tried to blame it on me and the client involved confirmed it was her not me, but it could have been very messy.

You have no choice but to make sure you don't leave yourself open to criminal or professional charges by someone who may be desperate to push the blame onto someone else.