A
abc123
Guest
State : Louisiana
I work in a management capacity with purchasing authority. Due to some defects with a product, I secured a refund for my Employer from the vendor (we got to keep the product AND the full refund).
The refund was received in 2 checks. The first one was made out to my employer, so I turned it in to accounting. A few weeks later, when the second check arrived, it was made out to me personally. I deposited the check into my account, and wrote a personal check to accounting for the entire amount. However, when I returned to the office (before I had time to go to accounting) I was told I had committed fraud and that I could quit or be fired.
Here is my question...
Forget the fact that I certainly had NO intention of keeping the money -- and that I am in a management capacity where decisions of this nature should be made at my discretion... what I want to know is -- WAS FRAUD COMMITTED upon my company?? Since I secured the refund, and the check was issued in my name, it seems to me the only entity I could have actually been defrauding is the Vendor. My company had possession of the product and never intended to ask for a refund. The only entity who incurred an actual loss was the vendor.
PART II
I was given the option of resigning or being fired... I, of course chose to resign. A potential Employer called for a reference -- and you guessed it -- they said I was fired for Fraud.
In addition they have informed my former subordinates and co-workers that I was fired because I stole from the company (how can I steal a check made out to me? At most I failed to reimburse in a timely manner -- but stealing???)
So my final question is... is this slander? I was not prosecuted for anything, no court of law said I was guilty, the item I supposedly "stole" was not yet property of my employer, I whole-heartedly disputed the accusations... so to brand me a thief is slanderous, is it not?
Thanks in advance for your help. I am in my 40s and have NEVER had any job even suggest that I wasn't doing my job correctly -- much less suggest that I am a common criminal. This has been rather devastating.
I work in a management capacity with purchasing authority. Due to some defects with a product, I secured a refund for my Employer from the vendor (we got to keep the product AND the full refund).
The refund was received in 2 checks. The first one was made out to my employer, so I turned it in to accounting. A few weeks later, when the second check arrived, it was made out to me personally. I deposited the check into my account, and wrote a personal check to accounting for the entire amount. However, when I returned to the office (before I had time to go to accounting) I was told I had committed fraud and that I could quit or be fired.
Here is my question...
Forget the fact that I certainly had NO intention of keeping the money -- and that I am in a management capacity where decisions of this nature should be made at my discretion... what I want to know is -- WAS FRAUD COMMITTED upon my company?? Since I secured the refund, and the check was issued in my name, it seems to me the only entity I could have actually been defrauding is the Vendor. My company had possession of the product and never intended to ask for a refund. The only entity who incurred an actual loss was the vendor.
PART II
I was given the option of resigning or being fired... I, of course chose to resign. A potential Employer called for a reference -- and you guessed it -- they said I was fired for Fraud.
In addition they have informed my former subordinates and co-workers that I was fired because I stole from the company (how can I steal a check made out to me? At most I failed to reimburse in a timely manner -- but stealing???)
So my final question is... is this slander? I was not prosecuted for anything, no court of law said I was guilty, the item I supposedly "stole" was not yet property of my employer, I whole-heartedly disputed the accusations... so to brand me a thief is slanderous, is it not?
Thanks in advance for your help. I am in my 40s and have NEVER had any job even suggest that I wasn't doing my job correctly -- much less suggest that I am a common criminal. This has been rather devastating.