Need some thoughts/input on a BAD situation at work

[mod29fan]

Here's the scenario:

Small business with 5 in the shop. Been there almost 6 years. Over the past 2 years or so (that I know of) one particular employee who's in cahoots with the shop manager, is manipulating time cards, abusing overtime, and takes work home making extra $ that he could easily do during regular time.

The shop manager is allowing all this to happen and lying his butt off about workloads, the need for overtime, and the homework to the owner. Oh, yeah, and the owner thinks his manager is bottled sunshine.

I've been to the manager with my concerns and he's of course denied and blew off what I've had to say.

My quandry is how the heck do I present this to the owner without offending him? He thinks he has chosen a good manager when in fact the guy is a BS'n, lying thief only interested in him and his cohorts personal gain. Or do I just shut up, do my job and let the injustice to the company continue? My gut tells me to go directly to the owner but I'm a bit unsure how he'll react to all this.

I like this position so leaving is a last resort and obviously the way the job market is, I need this job and don't want to cut my own throat.

What say you?

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I think an Iron Rule in cases like these is that you document everything very carefully, not just have your word against his.

 

[Tom Beavert]

1st things 1st

1st go looking for a better job, don't take it, just find it. If you find one, THEN try to fix your current job. If there are no other jobs out there, tread lightly. As mentioned, document whats happening, speak with others/coworkers.
I praise you for careing about what's happening, some would not, but don't walk away without a plan.
Be well
Shoot straight
Tom B.

 

[wheelgun28]

It depends on how bad you need the job. If you go around the supervisor and the boss does not want to hear what you tell him or believe you, your not going to be happy at that job for long...

Perhaps you can leave hints to the boss man let him kinda find out for himself kinda thing.

or

keep your mouth shut, do your job, get a check, and not care about the dipwad supervisor and boss...

Jobs arent easy to find right now so tread lightly...

 

[HAWKEYE10]

I would keep out of it. You might find your self looking for a job. You need to take care of you first. The owner will most likely find out about it soon enough. Remember this is not a good time to get fired from your job. Don

 

[GJH77]

All good advice. One more thing is to make sure you document your work as well, so that if push comes to shove, don't let them say that the workload was so great, they needed the OT, etc, because you were the one not pulling his load. Cover yourself well first. Also may be a chance to advance if you show what you can do. Good luck with that, it can be a tough time in a small company with folks like that.

 

[rags]

I would keep out of it. You might find your self looking for a job. You need to take care of you first. The owner will most likely find out about it soon enough. Remember this is not a good time to get fired from your job. Don

I'm with Don on this one. They'll get theirs someday! It will catch up with 'em.

Although if any of the shadow deals and are on paper and happen to fall somewhere to be found....

rags

 

[Beemer-mark]

Is the boss's favoritism hurting you? If not ignore it and mind your own business. I'm not saying it to be smart but absolutely no good will come to you by trying to expose it. If is reflecting negatively on your performance you must think of a way to correct it without being negative about your co-worker or boss.

 

[FlYFiShErMaN]

I like what Don said.....unless you feel very secure that you will not be fired for tick'en off the owner...keep your head down and keep paying bills. At least you have surfaced it.....not your fault that nobody wants to hear what your saying. Dog eat dog world out there right now....so don't get eaten.

 

[cobra44]

I have seen this before, my advice is to stay out of it.
Believe me, the manager and the employee will win one way or another.

 

[J. Galt]

I have a similar situation where I work. i tried talking to my manager, and when that didn't work I went to HR. Bottom line is that nothing changed and now I have a reputation as a troublemaker. I am very careful to document all my work now, just to protect myself, because my manager is trying to get me fired.

So my advice is to concentrate on doing a good job, document what you can, and stay out of it.

 

[charlie sherrill]

You see this kind of crap anywhere you work. Do your job, keep your mouth shut, and document everything because right or wrong, the whole thing could be turned around on you. Of course playing with fiber optic video and mini-recorders at appropriate times might add some enjoyment to your job. Also copies of interesting paper trails may come in handy. Kinda reminds me of a very old police chief that I once knew. He kept getting reappointed police chief under each new administration because as soon as he saw someone rising in the political world he started a file on them that he kept in a safe at home. His undoing came when an unknown got elected mayor and fired him. Didn't hurt much though because he was in his early seventies by then and ready to go home. I think he may have been trained in the J. Edgar Hoover school of CYA.

 

[kennyb]

Here's the scenario:

Small business with 5 in the shop. Been there almost 6 years. Over the past 2 years or so (that I know of) one particular employee who's in cahoots with the shop manager, is manipulating time cards, abusing overtime, and takes work home making extra $ that he could easily do during regular time.

The shop manager is allowing all this to happen and lying his butt off about workloads, the need for overtime, and the homework to the owner. Oh, yeah, and the owner thinks his manager is bottled sunshin

I've been to the manager with my concerns and he's of course denied and blew off what I've had to say.

My quandry is how the heck do I present this to the owner without offending him? He thinks he has chosen a good manager when in fact the guy is a BS'n, lying thief only interested in him and his cohorts personal gain. Or do I just shut up, do my job and let the injustice to the company continue? My gut tells me to go directly to the owner but I'm a bit unsure how he'll react to all this.

I like this position so leaving is a last resort and obviously the way the job market is, I need this job and don't want to cut my own throat.

What say you?

you already know the correct thing to do...now go with the best documentation that you can and meet with the owner

 

[jkc]

I once worked in the "black sheep" division of a family owned outfit that was run by incompetents and nitwits and fools, who weren't purposefully cheating or stealing from the parent company, except by their ineptitude, inattention, and costly mistakes. I was in "sales" vs. "fabrication" and "installation". I kept notes of the progress of the job, copies of communications such as notes on shop drawings, installation instructions, etc., and ultimately prepared a "Situation Report" pillorying the incompetents who FUBAR'd the job.

Perhaps naively, I'd hoped for heads to roll, &tc., but this only caused consternation, not correction. The company president took the company jet into town and took me to lunch, asking what I intended to "do" about the situation. I told him to fix it, or I'd take my talents elsewhere --- he didn't, I did.

Be careful of raising a fuss, there may be more to the story than you know, or you may just perceived as the bearer of "an inconvenient truth."

 

[three-five-seven]

Response to bad situation at work

To Model 29 fan:
I would just do the best job i can and document my work. It also helps to remember the serenity prayer. You can always start an easy search for a new job if its that bad. Sometimes people grow out of a job and this is a sign you may find some-thing better for you. In the meantime do your job the best you can and be thankful you have a paycheck. Maybe the owner knows and is giving the manager "plenty of rope" to hang himself. Goodluck alot of us have been in situations like this. Some of us go to work to make a living and others do otherthings.

 

[DeathGrip]

Sometimes family is a good thing..sometimes not.High school buddies don't mix.Business is Business.
I've seen it all.The best is a pack of Crooks.Somehow they find each other.Nothing you can do but move on as soon as you can.Until...then?

D.G.

 

[labworm]

Just go to work everyday and mind your business, there may be a lot more going on then you actually know. Even though the OT is not needed and dishonest, it may, in the long run be protecting one position that would otherwise be eliminated. That could be your position.

Remember he is the Manager, whether honest or not that isn't up to you to decide.

I retired after 32 years in a very large corporation and have seen it all, always minded my own business. In the end they all end up the losers and sometimes terminated, sometimes not.

 

[Guero]

Just a few thoughts. Document all you want to but don't keep it at work and understand that probably no one will thank you for bringing all of this out in the open. In most cases, I believe, the supervisors/bosses/administrators are aware of what is going on and they allow it to go on because it is part of the structure of the business. The cost of doing business if you will. There are always favorites and methods of keeping those favorites in positions beneficial to them.
The question that I have to come back to is: "Are they getting into my pocket by their actions"? If no, then I am satisfied to let them have enough rope to hang to themselves with, and it will happen. In the mean time, go in, do the best job you can do, encourage others to do the same, the incompetent and the cheats will reap their own rewards. In the words of Johnny Cash;
Tell the gossipers and liars
I will see them in the fire
Let the train blow the whistle when I go

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I've been in about the same situation. Document everything, get pictures if possible. Keep them at home under lock & key. Do your job & if anything comes up, get an attorney. [Labor]. I did & I've outlived all of them.

 

[whitecoyote]

Document everything. Then mail it to the owner, anonymously.