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AIBU?

Cheating at work and management reaction

97 replies

ApollO88 · 26/01/2016 15:55

Sorry if this gets long winded

So today I find next to the work printer a photocopy of an exam that I sat for an internal training course at work. It's got the handwriting of a colleague all over it with notes and answers from different pages made on it. It looks as though she has been copying my work. I take the document to my manager who brushes it aside and compares us to his teenage daughters squabbling over the make up mirror in the bathroom.

Aibu to report him for his reaction and my colleague for her cheating?!

I am right royally pissed off with the cheating. I have worked hard in my training courses and not only is she stupid enough to cheat but she's stupid enough to leave the evidence laying around!

And I cannot believe my managers reaction to what should be treated very seriously! It's professional cheating! I have never had an issue with this colleague before so compare us to squabbling teenagers is just ridiculous!

OP posts:

Report

Twitterqueen · 26/01/2016 15:58

I don't understand why you think she has been copying your work.
presumably you handed your work in to someone? When?
Was it your paper that you saw? In your handwriting?
Is she taking the same exam?

This is very muddled

FrozenPonds · 26/01/2016 15:58

Won't she just have been using it as a past paper?

If it's only an internal assessment, it is only worth whatever importance your manager places on it anyway.

AlwaysHopeful1 · 26/01/2016 15:59

Why would she have your papers? Didn't you Hand it in?

VeryBitchyRestingFace · 26/01/2016 16:05

I can't make sense of your OP.

Does she have a copy of your actual script or does it just seem like she copied your answers on her script?

How could she have had sight of your script?

ApollO88 · 26/01/2016 16:07

My coursework book lives on my shelf next to my test. The course is run by an external company that comes in and assess us and we use the book to store all our tests in and our coursework. I have found out that the group this colleague is in does their testing the day afyer us. So my tests sit in my book along with my coursework. They rescheduled her tests for tomorrow so it looks as though she has helped herself tk my results. The photocopy she had was the test I did yesterday. With my name and signature at the top. She has them scribbled extra answers from the course work I sat and did with them yesterday along the edges.

OP posts:

DoreenLethal · 26/01/2016 16:10

You need to let the eternal company have this evidence, not your manager. It's their quality control that is jeopardised.

bloodyteenagers · 26/01/2016 16:13

Well if she is going to copy your answers tomorrow it will be obvious if the
Marker is the same.
You could let the external people know.
In future you could either not leave your stuff so open, or set people up and have fake answers..

Although the whole thing
Seems shoddy.. Tests just left around for anyone to see, alter or to be damaged
In some way

Brokenbiscuit · 26/01/2016 16:13

She might well be cheating, from what you've said. It's crap if your manager doesn't care. I'm still confused as to whether this is a proper qualification or just an internal thing? If it's just an internal thing, then perhaps they don't take it that seriously?

If the organisation as a whole does take the tests seriously, then think carefully before you make a fuss. In my organisation, you would be in trouble as well for leaving assessment papers on an open shelf.

ApollO88 · 26/01/2016 16:14

I've told our internal training manager and he is taking it seriously. He will inform the external company tomorrow before they see her for her test. I'm worried now that they may disqualify both of us. It all depends on how long she has been copying off me. 4 months I've been doing this course.

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Brokenbiscuit · 26/01/2016 16:14

And yy, if it's external, then report to the examining body!

Twitterqueen · 26/01/2016 16:17

You are behaving like a petulant teenager as far as I can tell. Is this a professional, industry accredited qualification? If so, the exam procedures need to be tightened.
Or is in internal training course for upskilling that is applicable only to your company?

If you report your manager - for what? and to whom? I suspect all you will achieve is to make yourself extremely unpopular.

The grown up thing to do is to go to your colleague - pleasantly, sincerely and calmly and say something like "did I spot my notes on the photocopier earlier? Did you find them useful? Let me know if you spotted anything. I think you're taking the test tomorrow? Good luck with that.

And then go to manager and laugh it off, again saying something like "I got completely the wrong end of the stick earlier! Forget all about it - we've sorted it out now."

Katenka · 26/01/2016 16:17

I am confused how you know she has copied you and not anyone else?

Without actual proof what do you expect the manager to do?

Have there been issue between you this person before?

Just wondering why the manager was dismissive. The comment about teenage squabbling suggests they are fed up.

You did the right thing mentioning to the internal person. But I am not sure what they can do. Can they prove its her? Can they prove she went in your file?

ApollO88 · 26/01/2016 16:19

They take scans of our tests and we keep the original in our course book. All the other staff are like me, we leave them on our desks so we can work through them when we have spare time throughout the day. The course is a business improvement course that our managers made us sign up to. They made it a mandatory requirement. It's a proper course and we will be receiving certificates for on completion. The office is locked when empty to stop the theft of our belongings. But I didn't anticipate the theft of my coursework and tests from a colleague!

OP posts:

shazzarooney99 · 26/01/2016 16:21

I agree with Twitterqueen

ApollO88 · 26/01/2016 16:22

I've never had issues with the other woman. I hardly ever see her as she works a different shift to me and there is no history or tension between us. Infact I'd say the opposite. I've done favours for her before to help her out as there isn't much management on her shift.

OP posts:

MrsGideon · 26/01/2016 16:23

Well I don't know why everyone is finding it so difficult to understand your OP and subsequent posts, nor do I know why twitter thinks you are a petulant teenager for objecting to someone copying your work.

Of course YANBU. It's unnacceptable.

BumWad · 26/01/2016 16:23

So she has gone through your files and picked out the test you did yesterday with your answers and photocopied it? If so that is bang out of order. But weird that you all keep your test papers around others thT haven't completed it yet

Katenka · 26/01/2016 16:23

So the exam was a copy of you exam with her notes on?

JohnLuther · 26/01/2016 16:24

I wouldn't report your manager but I would report your colleague for cheating.

buffythemuffinslayer · 26/01/2016 16:28

I can't for the life of me understand why people think you're behaving like a petulant teenager, OP.

If this happened in my office, it would be serious. Cheating, lying and stealing are all very serious. Even if it's 'just' test results.

Think you've done the right thing OP.

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 26/01/2016 16:31

They are hardly going to set the same test in the same company several days apart?

Stillunexpected · 26/01/2016 16:32

If people are taking the same test on different days the external company should have made it clear that completed tests should not be left lying around. I'm surprised that they don't retain them all until everyone has done the test, sounds a bit chaotic and amateurish to me. I suspect your colleague won't be the only one tempted to help themselves to someone else's work. Not to mention people whose best friend is in the other group and who are probably exchanging hints over the water cooler!

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Twitterqueen · 26/01/2016 16:34

So now you're saying that "All the other staff are like me, we leave them on our desks so we can work through them when we have spare time throughout the day."

You just left it on your desk?

Also, how do you know that the test company didn't share previous papers as examples? This happens all the time in schools....

I really think you're making a mountain out of a molehill

BoomBoomsCousin · 26/01/2016 16:35

I think any qualification that relies on the same test paper being given on different days, especially when the test paper can be taken away by candidates, isn't worth a great deal. They almost may as well give out certificates for course participation. So I kind of see your manager's point of view, though I think s/he expressed it very poorly.

Do the course for what you can get out of it and don't worry too much about your colleague. There's nothing wrong with not wanting her to copy from you, but if the exam was really considered important they would have different procedures in place, so don't expect some terrible judgement to fall on your colleague for cheating (but also, in the future, don't trust her with an idea you want to present to your boss as your own).

ApollO88 · 26/01/2016 16:37

I don't see how I'm acting like a teenager. I've tried to report an issue with a colleague to my manager who has behaved very unprofessionally to a serious allegation

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