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What documentation do I need to prove boss is stealing time?

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opticsgrl

Junior Member
What is the name of your state?
South Carolina (but my company's home office is in Texas, if that matters)

My manager is stealing time from the company by falsifying time records. She works an avg. of 34-38 hours per week yet turns in 40 hrs. I have started to make copies of the schedule that she makes out (showing her scheduled 40 hrs) and I am documenting when she comes in and when she leaves. Do I need to have others in the office sign off on my documentation to back me up?
If I am able to make copies of the time sheets we turn in to home office proving that she turns in more time than she's worked, is that enough documentation? If I'm unable to obtain copies of time sheets, when I see her checkstub (she leaves those open in the office) showing 40 hrs paid...will my documentation and my coworkers' words be enough to prove she wasn't there those 40 hours?
Thanks for your advice!
 


cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
You aren't necessarily going to like my advice, which is, stay out of it.

If she is a manager, she may be paid on a salaried basis, in which case the number of hours she works is immaterial.

Even if she is not, YOU don't have to prove a darned thing. If you absolutely must, report your suspicions to HR and let THEM handle it. Then drop it. You could be digging yourself into a very deep hole. Some companies do NOT appreciate employees keeping tabs on their managers.
 

opticsgrl

Junior Member
Thanks for the reply, cbg. : )
She's not on a salaried basis, it's strictly hourly with bonus. However, I am very afraid our home office won't like me keeping tabs or bringing it to their attention (our HO is hundreds of miles away and as long as the store is taken care of and sales look good, I don't think they'll care). But if the business that we're in contract with right next door finds out (a few already know) and HO does decide to take action, I just wanted to have documentation proving that noone is making this up.
But I think I'll stick to your advice and stay out of it : )
 
Why are you being so nosey?? Did this manager do something to you to make you act this way? Like cbg said.........just stay out of it, that is none of your business!!! How would you like it if the manager was keeping such close tabs on you?
 

Beth3

Senior Member
Whoa, jp. Why so incensed? Apparently this employee's manager is stealing time (and thus money) from the company. That's just not right and opticsgirl is right to object to it. The problem is that we don't know what consequences there may be for her if she reports it. No matter what though, she shouldn't take it upon herself to investigate and doing surreptitious surveillance. That's management's perogative, not hers.

It wouldn't be inappropriate for optics to have a private word with someone in HR informing them what's going on so comany management can deal with it at that point as they feel appropriate. Beyond that, optics should stay out of it.

When an employee is stealing from their employer, it harms everyone so yes, it is her business. It's just not her business to handle the matter.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Here's where I'm coming from.

I had an employee once do exactly what optics is proposing; she came to me reporting all the times her manager had left early or come in late. While I'm not attributing this same motive to optics, she was clearly trying to get her manager in trouble in retaliating for the manager refusing to allow her to take a vacation day (the employee had no vacation time available).

What the employee did not know, was that the manager was on a short and flexible schedule for ADA reasons. The manager had full permission to do what she was doing. In this case, the manager WAS on salary, and in many cases was working from home during those supposed absences.

In my opinion, it can do no harm for optics to report her suspicions to HR. But if there is some valid reason why this is happening, bringing documentation and signatures is not going to do optics any good. For one thing, how much time is she putting into doing this documentation? How much in comparison to the short time the manager is putting in? If the manager left two hours early, and optics spent two hours documenting, can you see the irony? And secondly, if there IS a valid reason, such as an ADA schedule, the fact that optics was spreading this information while gathering signatures...well, you see the issue.
 

opticsgrl

Junior Member
Thank you all for your responses. I don't want to get my manager in trouble-I just have a hard time working 36-38 hrs a week and getting paid 36-38 hrs a week when she works anywhere from 31-38 hrs a week and she gets paid 40 hrs consistently. I have a hard time accepting that she gets paid EXCELLENTLY and still must steal a few piddly hours every week. I want the scheduling to be fair and she is one of those ppl who feels justified in taking time off so I don't feel I can talk to her.
The only documentation I have are copies of schedules & time records so I'm not wasting time jotting things down-I'm busy enough picking up her slack.
And to jpritchett81:we're in the retail business so her theft of company time ultimately translates into higher pricing for goods, just like when shoplifters steal. It doesn't just affect ME.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Optics, my point is that for all you know, there's a reason for this and your employer is already aware of it. For that matter, you don't KNOW that she isn't making up the time working at home, or on weekends.

Report it to HR if you feel you must, and then let go of it.
 
I totally understand about stealing time can come out of your paycheck as well.....but going out of your way to investigate the manager may spell trouble for you. What if one of your colleagues that you asked to verify that she is stealing time tells the manager of your intentions??? :confused: Then the manager will know and most likely try to have you eliminated before you can tell on her. Therefore you'll really have to be on your p's and q's to avoid this. Sorry if I came off brash.....but if you worry about getting her in trouble you may leave yourself wide open for retaliation. Sometimes it's just not worth it. :(
 

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