Upset at an employee...need advice.

[hmwe46]

TT, this goes to show you should always trust your instincts!!

If you ever get a chance to read a little book called "Blink" you can read all about the concept of thin-slicing. Thin-slicing is essentially our innate ability to instantly and effectively read a situation. Often our instinct is dead on and the rationalizing after can lead us to talk ourselves out of the correct split second knowledge.

Also, it is so your business and no one is entitled to a bonus that is not commission.

Bummer for having to go through this, but goodness that you will get a bad egg out of your shop!

 

[Buttery]

Ok, a few questions answered...now for the big update!

Yesterday AM I asked the book keeper for all employee expense reports and mileage reports (didn't want her to know, I was looking into just 1).

I told her I was going to audit them between Christmas and New Years....slip on her part...."you're going to do that in Hawaii?"....lol, now I know DH is planning a surprise trip.....

Well, I spent most of yesterday, reviewing them and calling about 30 of the 50 customers she had on her expense report for the last 3 months. Out of the 30, I got to she actually only visited 10 of them. 5 of the customers she claimed to take to lunch, I have had extensive dealings with, so chatting was much easier and I got a lot more info...she rarely calls, never comes out to see them....ships samples intead of hand delivering them like I used to, etc....you get the idea.

It was a pain to do it yesterday, when I holiday things to do...but I am so glad I did. Now I can stop doubting myself or my decision. Its clear she is a dishonest and manufacturing her expense report....so silly, it's so easy to check.....anyway, the package has become almost irrelevant now....

So she goes at the beginning of the year.

Wow...knowing all of that, she's lucky that you don't fire her now. You're very nice.

 

[roey]

If there were too many packing peanuts to tell then how can you be sure she even knew what was in the box to make it palatable to steal? Have you ever unpacked a box filled with packing peanuts to find the item inside the box? The peanuts are almost always static charged and fly all over the place; it is a giant production to scoop them up and put them back inside or throw them away.

And here in MA, we are also an employment at will state, but as Roo pointed out, employees can and do file lawsuits and win.

 

[Bagluvluv]

Ok, a few questions answered...now for the big update!

Yesterday AM I asked the book keeper for all employee expense reports and mileage reports (didn't want her to know, I was looking into just 1).

I told her I was going to audit them between Christmas and New Years....slip on her part...."you're going to do that in Hawaii?"....lol, now I know DH is planning a surprise trip.....

Well, I spent most of yesterday, reviewing them and calling about 30 of the 50 customers she had on her expense report for the last 3 months. Out of the 30, I got to she actually only visited 10 of them. 5 of the customers she claimed to take to lunch, I have had extensive dealings with, so chatting was much easier and I got a lot more info...she rarely calls, never comes out to see them....ships samples intead of hand delivering them like I used to, etc....you get the idea.

It was a pain to do it yesterday, when I holiday things to do...but I am so glad I did. Now I can stop doubting myself or my decision. Its clear she is a dishonest and manufacturing her expense report....so silly, it's so easy to check.....anyway, the package has become almost irrelevant now....

So she goes at the beginning of the year.

Im sorry but I still feel like your sort of "picking on her" all over a simple package...I do see the dishonest part that you are worried about for sure...and that needed to be addressed directly regarding the package right then and there. The checking on the expense and her dishonesty there is much more of a concern, in my opinion...but to prove that just by phone calls to 30 diff. customers and trusting that they remember all visits by this associate seems far reaching and unreasonable. The mileage will speak for itself I think...Samples can be shipped and is shipped alot in big volume buisness so it doesnt seem like the biggest deal..it seems like its like a snowball effect and by the bonus check that you were going to present her with...she seemed like she was a worthy employee.....I just think that the whole thing is a shame.

But I know that you need to do whats best for your office so, it is up to your discretion.

 

[daffie]

Twinkle - I think that you are doing the right thing. If I had an employee like her, I would do exactly what you are doing.

 

[amanda]

i say don't pay attention to anyone who's telling you that you're being harsh - your instincts are usually right, as you can see now that you've looked back at her records, and your obligation is to the health of your business, not to a lying employee. if she's not performing to your standards and routinely lying on her expense reports, it's more than reasonable to let her go. you saw suspicious behavior, which is just cause to investigate her behavior as a whole. what you found is a pattern of dishonesty, and it's a risk to your business to keep that around, no matter what time of year it is.

just as a side note, we had an employee arrested and walked out of the building in cuffs today for petty theft. zero tolerance is the ONLY way to run a business, imo. even if the package was left out, even if some people think the receptionist should have done something with it, it was still wrong of her to steal it, which it really seems like she was trying to do, or at least considering. no excuses. stealing is wrong. that's pretty clear.

 

[Blue824]

Wow...knowing all of that, she's lucky that you don't fire her now. You're very nice.

I agree! But I'm glad you trusted your insticts on her and followed up with a little research. It is your business and you need to only have people you trust working for you. They represent you and your company and you can't have your name ruined because of someone else's greed. I don't think that's picking on her at all, she gave you a reason to question what she was telling you and you had to follow up. Had you checked her expenses and everything was correct, you would've just brushed the situation off, but you have to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to an asset as large as your own business!

 

[Vegas Long Legs]

^^^^ excellent response!

Your follow up was worthy of your time. And morally you did the right thing. You gave her the benefit of the doubt & found out her true colors through futher research. Now you know & it is time for her to go.
She got herself into this situation. You are doing nothing wrong to fire a dishonest employee.
Enjoy your trip!

 

[twinkle.tink]

Im sorry but I still feel like your sort of "picking on her" all over a simple package...I do see the dishonest part that you are worried about for sure...and that needed to be addressed directly regarding the package right then and there. The checking on the expense and her dishonesty there is much more of a concern, in my opinion...but to prove that just by phone calls to 30 diff. customers and trusting that they remember all visits by this associate seems far reaching and unreasonable. The mileage will speak for itself I think...Samples can be shipped and is shipped alot in big volume buisness so it doesnt seem like the biggest deal..it seems like its like a snowball effect and by the bonus check that you were going to present her with...she seemed like she was a worthy employee.....I just think that the whole thing is a shame.

But I know that you need to do whats best for your office so, it is up to your discretion.

They might forget a simple visit....but these wee people she was claiming entertainment expenses for..ie lunch, dinner, etc...I don't think they would forget that lol!

 

[twinkle.tink]

^^^^ excellent response!

Your follow up was worthy of your time. And morally you did the right thing. You gave her the benefit of the doubt & found out her true colors through futher research. Now you know & it is time for her to go.
She got herself into this situation. You are doing nothing wrong to fire a dishonest employee.
Enjoy your trip!

Thanks and thanks...DH still doesn't know I know, so it's driving me crazy not to pack!!!!