tricky employment situation - advice?
Discussion
asking for a friend of mine. i don't have all the details at moment but it pans out as such:
friend is manager of a cash based business. business owner is european and is by all accounts an interminable arse. this is a complimentary business to his main income stream. local partner is apparently a nice chap and empathetic, albeit totally hands off.
business is struggling and my friend believes may go under shortly, mainly due to him being an arse from the sounds of it - to staff and clients alike. perm. staff moved on leaving just my friend and a rota of part time/casual stand ins. she has been looking to leave herself but has stayed on thanks to a misguided sense of responsibility.
she [my friend] went to see the PRO company about the above to see where she stands if things tank. the PRO told her the owner thinks money is going missing and has all but accused her of taking it. nothing concrete as yet [you're the only manager, you have the opportunity, etc.] but she is now pretty spooked and worried by what has been said.
she has all records of income/expenditure. she has a history of annoying the owner by doing stupid things like paying suppliers on time and ensuring staff get paid out of pocket expenses. sounds to me to be all petulance and bluster on the part of the owner so he can throw accusations and bully his way through getting rid of people and scapegoating rather than take the responsibility for the failure on his own head.
at this point i don't know the sums involved or the veracity of his accusations, but given you can land in chokey out here for your friend's cousin's dog saying you owe it the price of a cup of tea; then i can understand her concern.
i said i would try and get some meaningful advice. anyone in HR or the legal sphere care to comment? what's the deal surrounding slander / false accusations as i do believe his motives are purely those of a bullying small minded asshat.
friend is manager of a cash based business. business owner is european and is by all accounts an interminable arse. this is a complimentary business to his main income stream. local partner is apparently a nice chap and empathetic, albeit totally hands off.
business is struggling and my friend believes may go under shortly, mainly due to him being an arse from the sounds of it - to staff and clients alike. perm. staff moved on leaving just my friend and a rota of part time/casual stand ins. she has been looking to leave herself but has stayed on thanks to a misguided sense of responsibility.
she [my friend] went to see the PRO company about the above to see where she stands if things tank. the PRO told her the owner thinks money is going missing and has all but accused her of taking it. nothing concrete as yet [you're the only manager, you have the opportunity, etc.] but she is now pretty spooked and worried by what has been said.
she has all records of income/expenditure. she has a history of annoying the owner by doing stupid things like paying suppliers on time and ensuring staff get paid out of pocket expenses. sounds to me to be all petulance and bluster on the part of the owner so he can throw accusations and bully his way through getting rid of people and scapegoating rather than take the responsibility for the failure on his own head.
at this point i don't know the sums involved or the veracity of his accusations, but given you can land in chokey out here for your friend's cousin's dog saying you owe it the price of a cup of tea; then i can understand her concern.
i said i would try and get some meaningful advice. anyone in HR or the legal sphere care to comment? what's the deal surrounding slander / false accusations as i do believe his motives are purely those of a bullying small minded asshat.
There could be serious problems here.
If your friend has paid anything to employers or suppliers without documented approval from the "owner" of the business, or someone employed by the owner and authorised to approve, she could be in serious trouble.
I recall an incident involving someone I knew who paid an employee long overdue salary without permission, and he got 3 years jail for it.
She needs to speak to a lawyer.
If your friend has paid anything to employers or suppliers without documented approval from the "owner" of the business, or someone employed by the owner and authorised to approve, she could be in serious trouble.
I recall an incident involving someone I knew who paid an employee long overdue salary without permission, and he got 3 years jail for it.
She needs to speak to a lawyer.
shirt said:
asking for a friend of mine. i don't have all the details at moment but it pans out as such:
friend is manager of a cash based business. business owner is european and is by all accounts an interminable arse. this is a complimentary business to his main income stream. local partner is apparently a nice chap and empathetic, albeit totally hands off.
business is struggling and my friend believes may go under shortly, mainly due to him being an arse from the sounds of it - to staff and clients alike. perm. staff moved on leaving just my friend and a rota of part time/casual stand ins. she has been looking to leave herself but has stayed on thanks to a misguided sense of responsibility.
she [my friend] went to see the PRO company about the above to see where she stands if things tank. the PRO told her the owner thinks money is going missing and has all but accused her of taking it. nothing concrete as yet [you're the only manager, you have the opportunity, etc.] but she is now pretty spooked and worried by what has been said.
she has all records of income/expenditure. she has a history of annoying the owner by doing stupid things like paying suppliers on time and ensuring staff get paid out of pocket expenses. sounds to me to be all petulance and bluster on the part of the owner so he can throw accusations and bully his way through getting rid of people and scapegoating rather than take the responsibility for the failure on his own head.
at this point i don't know the sums involved or the veracity of his accusations, but given you can land in chokey out here for your friend's cousin's dog saying you owe it the price of a cup of tea; then i can understand her concern.
i said i would try and get some meaningful advice. anyone in HR or the legal sphere care to comment? what's the deal surrounding slander / false accusations as i do believe his motives are purely those of a bullying small minded asshat.
I'd normally be inclined to suggest she speaks to a decent employment lawyer in the first instance.friend is manager of a cash based business. business owner is european and is by all accounts an interminable arse. this is a complimentary business to his main income stream. local partner is apparently a nice chap and empathetic, albeit totally hands off.
business is struggling and my friend believes may go under shortly, mainly due to him being an arse from the sounds of it - to staff and clients alike. perm. staff moved on leaving just my friend and a rota of part time/casual stand ins. she has been looking to leave herself but has stayed on thanks to a misguided sense of responsibility.
she [my friend] went to see the PRO company about the above to see where she stands if things tank. the PRO told her the owner thinks money is going missing and has all but accused her of taking it. nothing concrete as yet [you're the only manager, you have the opportunity, etc.] but she is now pretty spooked and worried by what has been said.
she has all records of income/expenditure. she has a history of annoying the owner by doing stupid things like paying suppliers on time and ensuring staff get paid out of pocket expenses. sounds to me to be all petulance and bluster on the part of the owner so he can throw accusations and bully his way through getting rid of people and scapegoating rather than take the responsibility for the failure on his own head.
at this point i don't know the sums involved or the veracity of his accusations, but given you can land in chokey out here for your friend's cousin's dog saying you owe it the price of a cup of tea; then i can understand her concern.
i said i would try and get some meaningful advice. anyone in HR or the legal sphere care to comment? what's the deal surrounding slander / false accusations as i do believe his motives are purely those of a bullying small minded asshat.
On this occasion however, I'm more inclined to suggest she's packs a suitcase and gets the f**k out of Dodge!
Not a nice situation, but as has been said above, lack of documented approval for these expenses (legitimate or otherwise) could be her undoing.
From my brief tenure out here, I've learned that her boss will get his way if he's determined enough; morals/legal rights don't even enter the equation.
well she went to the PRO again to ask what the legal process would be and laid strong hints that she was lawyering up. this had the intended response of the boss [previously uncontactable] turning up for a 'chat' which went from massive argument/all guns blazing to eventual calm. she's been paid her owed salary and he has retracted his threats. she's got an interview for another job this week so is already halfway out the door.
still not the ideal situation and one which still requires monitoring, but far from the worst.
still not the ideal situation and one which still requires monitoring, but far from the worst.
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