Workplace Ethics

You find yourself in a difficult situation, to say the least. You don’t mention if you work for a private or public company, or who your supervisor’s manager is.

If I were in your situation, I would also be offended at someone committing acts which I consider wrong, like using the company resources for personal benefits outside the outlined acceptable benefits provided. First you would need to determine what the acceptable amount of tolerance is for this type of behavior. Perhaps the owners or executive management at your shop “look the other way” for reasons unknown to you for this particular employee. That doesn’t make it right, but it is to be considered when deciding how to effectively be a whistle blower.

Second, document multiple instances of the behavior, complete with copies of receipts and checks paid to the employee. Document everything. My company has an ethics hotline, so it would be easy for me to report this. Without a solid chain of command, find someone at the top you can submit your findings either anonymously or in person.

(I would leave out the part about your reporting it and no action taken by your supervisor. Trust that if an investigation occurs, that may or may not come to light on it’s own and should be treated separately than preventing the original person’s “theft”).

Karoline is right on. Assuming that either an ethics or reimbursement policy exists in your organization, you should immediately follow her suggestions and then report a complaint using the policy guidelines.

There are still steps you can take if neither of these policies exist; however, I'd need a little more info to make a sensible recommendation (e.g. Is it a small company, i.e. you're one of 5 employees? Does this type of behavior pervade the organization? Do you have access to senior leadership? etc.)

Wonderful so there are 2 things you can do
1) join the club but then you can be in tight spot later
2) You keep all the vouchers approved and the bills for past 18 months please note 18 months and then send to a compliance team , auditors and ofcourse the tax authorities
This will put the CFO also in a tight spot mate

But first search for a new job mate...all the best and god bless you

Discuss the issue with your immediate supervisor except when it appears the supervisor is involved. In that case, present the issue to next level. If there is no resolution, submit the issue to next management level.

If you immediate supervisor is the chief executive officer or equivalent and he or she involved , contact upper level such as audit committee, board of directors, owners.

Do not communicate with authorities or individuals outside of the company unless you believe there is a clear violation of the law.

Conduct a confidential discussion with an ethical counselor to earn a better understanding of the problem.

I have been here before though to a much graver extent. Privately owned companies are not required to set up hotlines or make is easy for you to communicate issues like this. They are all right. No matter what you decide, you MUST document your findings and keep record of any written policy and procedures to which this violates. Then go to the CFO or CEO or president with your evidence and distaste for the fraud. If you do not get an immediate good feeling about the results and your job security, then run. Look for a new job and run. When the ship sinks and it will, you will be on record for bringing it to the attention of management and leave knowing you could not save it but you were also not a party to the fraud. In this industry standing by watching it happen is just as bad as the act. This is key.

Workplace Ethics needs to be taught in high school and more so in college to a greater degree than it is currently.

I would also add the perspective when fraud occurs in this context a more fundamental issue may possibly be the HR Manager feels the employment relationship is not "fair or equitable" and they are entitled to some freebies. If this is happening in the HR function I would conjecture the problem is more pervasive.