To tell tales

[PukousMucous]

A colleague and I provide a service for two days a week. She does one day and I do another. For the next five weeks she has cancelled her afternoon session (boss thinks its for 2 weeks) so inevitably I am picking up the slack on my full day. There is a personal and slightly spurious reason for her doing this but cos its a finite amount if time I've just sort of let it go, even though it has increased my workload considerably.

Well via a friend yesterday I discovered that this same colleague has indefinitely arranged cover for work she is supposed to do on another day and has not told the boss at all. This does not affect me directly. However this means that she is being paid for at least 8 hours of work she's not doing. As far as I'm aware no one at work knows about this at all.

I'm not really sure what to do with this information, it makes me nervous. I'm not sure it would be anonymous if I did tell tales and we do have to work together.

You're not being unreasonable to want to tell tales but doing the actual telling of the tale might backfire horribly, depending on how approachable the boss is, whether the boss actually knows of the arrangement, the reasons why, etc. I suggest you tread carefully!

It's irritating though. At St Claire's and Mallory Towers we learnt that people always got their comeuppance and telling tales was frowned upon. In the real world people like this rarely do get their just desserts and it's annoying as feck!

It's up to you. But surely someone will notice when the cover turns up abs she doesn't

We all work in different places on different days. Our boss would only know we weren't at work if the place we're supposed to be phones them. And they don't care who comes as long as someone does so our employers could easily not find out for a while at least

But surely someone somewhere will notice that they've paid for the same 8 hours of work twice - i.e. the cover person and your colleague?

Tbh I would leave it because these things always find a way of coming out. Some manager is bound to notice at some point. It's not directly affecting you, so I think for now just not say anything.

The cover works for a different agency so won't be paid by our employer. The person arrange as cover is my friend and she told me so I know the information is right.

I would talk to her about it.It sounds as though maybe she isn't telling you the real reason

I would certainly speak to her about it and see what the full story is.

Well, if you do go to your boss, make sure that you state that your friend agreed to this, knowing the full circumstances.

It is her reasons for going along with this, yet gossiping about it, I would question.

Unless, of course, she just sees you as a trusted friend.

However, if you work in Social Care and your friend isn't qualified/d&b passed, then that is different.

Meh. The girl will probably cash in on your friend later for her free/paid day off in return. I wouldn't worry about it.