Skimming the payroll

[DrFaroohk]

So hypothetically speaking, suppose someone at your job was skimming payroll hours to pad their own wallet...does the company still owe you for the time you worked?

[JenCdn]

I'm not quite sure how that works, but in my books, if you worked it...than you should get paid for it.

[ArenaBoy]

Are they not paying you for hours worked? Then you might want to take it to this number: 1-866-4-USWAGE. Discuss with them about your pay. If they're just cutting hours by not letting you work because of going over budget (Been victim of this many times) then they're kosher. But it depends what they're doing.

[DrFaroohk]

Well like this...some bookkeeper, who has access to payroll stuff, this person is taking maybe like, 5 minutes a week from everyone who works there, and adding it onto their own time. No one really notices that they've lost 5 minutes a week, but suddenly this person has added a couple hours onto their paycheck. Take that over the course of, say, 5-6 years....it adds up.

[Soulstealer]

Well like this...some bookkeeper, who has access to payroll stuff, this person is taking maybe like, 5 minutes a week from everyone who works there, and adding it onto their own time. No one really notices that they've lost 5 minutes a week, but suddenly this person has added a couple hours onto their paycheck. Take that over the course of, say, 5-6 years....it adds up.

That would be theft and fraud, I believe it's time to talk to managment and the white collar crime taskforce of your area.

[DrFaroohk]

Well that is unless, of course, hypothetically speaking, you were told, after discovering this, that if you valued your job you would keep quiet about it.

[powerboy]

Document every minute that you clock in & out. Let management know everything. Go to HR, if possible

[ArenaBoy]

You were told, after discovering this, that if you valued your job you would keep quiet about it.

That's blackmail. If the higher-ups are doing this along with the book keeper then a nice visit to the Department of Labor is in order. If they're threatening your job because of this it's also time to start looking for a new job. A talk to HR should also be mentioned if they're not the ones who told you this.

[JustADude]

That's blackmail. If the higher-ups are doing this along with the book keeper then a nice visit to the Department of Labor is in order. If they're threatening your job because of this it's also time to start looking for a new job. A talk to HR should also be mentioned if they're not the ones who told you this.

Exactly. If they fire you, or allow you to be fired, after you bring up an allegation like that... well Them = Shit Creek - Paddles + Drunken Rednecks, legally speaking, if you get what I mean?

[Seshat]

Well like this...some bookkeeper, who has access to payroll stuff, this person is taking maybe like, 5 minutes a week from everyone who works there, and adding it onto their own time.

That's criminal activity. I believe the business still owes staff the unpaid wages, and the criminal owes the business - but it may depend on restitution laws in your jurisdiction.

But regardless of who owes what to whom: that is crime. It's just as criminal as walking into the business with a gun and a ski mask and demanding money from the till. Inform the police.

[Soulstealer]

Exactly. If they fire you, or allow you to be fired, after you bring up an allegation like that... well Them = Shit Creek - Paddles + Drunken Rednecks, legally speaking, if you get what I mean?

Do the rednecks have shot guns?

[csdrone]

Well that is unless, of course, hypothetically speaking, you were told, after discovering this, that if you valued your job you would keep quiet about it.

Not reporting said hypothetical activity makes said hypothetical employee complicit. Reporting would be a moral and legal necessity IMNSHO

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Well that is unless, of course, hypothetically speaking, you were told, after discovering this, that if you valued your job you would keep quiet about it.

GET THE HELL OUT!

For fuck's sake, if your employer devalues you to the point where they stand by and condone the bookkeeper skimming off your hours to pad their paycheck, then why should you value your employment with them?

I assume you threw in that "hypothetical" because that is, in fact, what happened?

You can and will be treated better someplace else. Report away and start a job search ASAP.

[BookstoreEscapee]

On top of all that, there are laws protecting whistle-blowers; it is illegal for them to threaten you in any way for reporting illegal activity (not that that would necessarily stop them, seeing as they are already committing one crime...)

I guess the big question is, is this person doing this on their own or are there higher ups that know about it? Anyone involved deserves to be prosecuted. Does this person have some power to fire you? Or are they in cahoots with someone who does?

[DrFaroohk]

No no, its like this: Person already got fired. They're dead and gone and I took her job. But now its like a big secret and while everyone else knows anyway, supposedly only me and the manager know and we've been told to keep it quiet or else find new jobs. I always assumed that was because they know they would have to pay everyone for their lost time...which whether or not they can really prove who lost what hours, they would STILL have to do a big pain in the ass investigation...

And it would be nice to know that the company that I don't trust one damn bit has a little dirt on them so if the day ever comes they stab me in the back I can give it right back to them. I know, I'm petty, but what can ya do?