Probation period extended after I discovered a theft

[flixer]

Long time lurker, seldom poster, name changed for obvious reasons... I really need some hand holding tonight.

I took a finance role 3 months ago. As part of my role, I found out that a staff member took the company card while out on a post-run and made an unauthorised purchase, a gift to a leaving member of staff. This was only picked up when I saw the bank statements. It was a director who had given her the card.

I informed the manager discretely. However, my interaction with said member of staff specially when dealing with finance things became a little strained.

Today I had my probation meeting... and my probation was extended on basis on my interaction with her!

I don't even have words... Manager said he cannot have conflict within the team....

I’m betting there’s more to this than you are letting on. As a PP said, you misinterpreted or misunderstood office relationships and/or you approached this with an attitude that didn’t sit well or wasn’t appropriate to the situation- perhaps a bit of gleeful schadenfreude or even a too-serious sanctimony on your part that doesn’t fit with the general outlook of your office. You have a chance to change now or you can find another job.

After 3 months it doesn't matter if it's a good reason or not, so long as it's not a discriminatory one.

Causing or contributing to conflict (not saying that OP has or hasn't) would be a perfectly good reason if one were needed.

I would be making an appointment with HR.

Doing this would confirm what they already think of the OP.....

Sorry It’s been a long day.

Anna (not her real name) is sometimes given the company card for specific things: post, milk, stationery etc.

A staff member was leaving and she took it upon herself to buy a piece of jewellery (£20ish) from a department store where we also get other bits and bobs. So, without looking at the receipt you would not know what it was!

I found the transaction and searched for the receipt from director who knew nothing of the transaction. I then asked Anna because she used the card. This was a week of so after lady left and Anna then said she bought her a leaving gift.

I had to flag it up to management because it is part of my role! They were shocked and said something along the lines “they would never have ever expected her to steal from the company” So THEY viewed it as theft.

I think I have been a little more cautious about her.

I’m really torn and upset.

Okay, so company view it dimly but obviously not dimly enough to take action against Anna.

In what way has your relationship deteriorated since? Company appears to believe you are at fault in this regard.

Purchasing a leaving gift for a colleague can hardly be classified as theft. Worst case it is considered as an unauthorised payment. You ask either for an exception raised, get it approved by their manager post-event or just deduct it from their next pay or follow whatever the expenses policy is. Reporting it as a theft is unnecessary and making someone feel like shit over this is unacceptable, whether you are an auditor or not.

They were shocked and said something along the lines “they would never have ever expected her to steal from the company”
That could also be interpreted as "we know her well, and know that if she used it, then there is a reasonable explanation rather than jumping straight in to call it theft."

Also I informed the manager discretely. However, my interaction with said member of staff specially when dealing with finance things became a little strained.
Is somewhat different to: I found the transaction and searched for the receipt from director who knew nothing of the transaction. I then asked Anna because she used the card. This was a week of so after lady left and Anna then said she bought her a leaving gift.

The former implies that you spoke entirely to the director. The second says you went to Anna.
I suspect the way you spoke to Anna was considered inappropriate. That might be the language used, the place you did it, or how you went about it.

Anna bought leaver a leaving gift of jewellery for £20? This much hassle? Over £20?
Thank God for people like Anna.

I've written off more than that today in a currency exchange discrepancy journal for the month of September.

I spent more than that on phoning our auditors in Malta!

Bought from a department store where we buy other bits and bobs

Without looking at the receipt you would not know what it was

I then asked Anna because she used the card. This was a week of so after lady left and Anna then said she bought her a leaving gift.

They were shocked they would never have expected her to steal from the company

The implication here, intentional or otherwise, is that ‘Anna’ bought something in the dept store and when questioned said it was for the colleague who left but this wasn’t the case. It comes across as you don’t believe this is the truth and I wonder how that conversation went? Especially as relations are now strained.

However it also appears that management do believe Anna’s story and have decided you are not the best fit for their office.

I would start job hunting OP. There isn’t a way back from suggesting misconduct from your colleague - either rightly or wrongly.

Anna kept the £20 bracelet? Pretending she'd bought it for Jane the leaver? Who she never gave it to?

Ring leaver Jane? Get a text from her that she never received Anna's leaving present.

Then you can dismiss Anna for gross misconduct.

Jobs a good'un!

Everyone will thank you! NOT!

I don’t know if Anna gave the gift or not to the leaver.

Just to be clear, it was management who said they did not expect Anna to “steal” -
I did not use the word myself!

OP can’t you see even in your posts here, it is obvious you don’t believe ‘Anna’. And that is with hindsight and editing. I assume when discussing this directly with management, it may not have been in such a considered way and was about a long time colleague and possibly friend?

I’m not saying what you think is incorrect OP. Nobody knows this answer and for all we know, these ‘liberties’ may be part of the culture in the office from the top down. However assuming this is t the case, it is clear that the management (along with Anna) didn’t like the approach you took. You didn’t say but it is possible they had a disciplinary meeting with Anna’ too.

They were shocked and said something along the lines “they would never have ever expected her to steal from the company” So THEY viewed it as theft

They should have not have said that. At that point, they hadnt investigated

But you clearly, gave judgment when you told them. Thats not your job. Your job is to flag anomalies. Not to pass judgment on what crime or employment terms and conditions had been breached. If you hadnt they woild have responded with that.

Also that's not confirmation that she stole anything. That's them speaking out of turn, before and investigation has happened. So no one could confirm anything.

It's quite clear you present this as a theft. Wether Anna did, or didnt, they believe hee story. The problem is that because you decided to make a judgment on Anna and her motives, its caused tension on the team.

Let's look at this the other way. You have worked somewhere years, often trusted to do it and buy items for lots of different reasons. Someone starts work there and tries to put a case together to accuse her of theft, because you have done what you have always done. They take it to the management and presents it as theft, trying to heavily influence management. Management believe you, so that's fine

But would you want to work with this woman?

From what you have posted, its clear you think it was theft. That's what's causing the tension. The problem with that is wether you believe it or not, management have decided it wasnt theft. They believe her. So either swallow your pride and make an effort with her, or accept your time in this job will ne difficult.

Like it or not. If you want ro stay in that job, you need to Try and clear the air with Anna. And dont make judgments on why anomalies have occured. Just report that you cant get the payment to match up.

I still don’t get what actually happened to cause a relationship problem with Anna? Did you speak to her about this issue? What bad feeling was actually caused by you saying “I’ve found this over to you manager to deal with it” kind of thing. Why are they being mean to you as though you caused problems. You passed it up the line in a factual way probably? I just don’t get it.

A one off £20 spend shouldn't ring alarm bells tbh unless there was a pattern you detected in bank statements. Managers like solutions, not problems. You've put them in an awkward situation where everyone had to spend time and energy. It has costed your organisation more than £20 in addressing the issue. Right or wrong, if i was running a business and i hired an auditor or someone in finance then I would hope they would bring serious problems to me and write off insignificant one-off anomalies as petty cash expenses. Or take the call basically for value for senior management's time.

YANBU
The management said it was unauthorised and called it theft ?
So long as you didn't call her a thief yourself, it sounds like you did your job - and are being punished for it

My company, like most larger firms, has a policy to protect whistleblowers from any repercussions, even if they have made a mistake - which you haven't

Absolutely fine to use company funds to buy a leaving present
but it needs to have the proper authorisation

Some companies get into very sloppy financial practices, due to lax management
However, a finance officer who goes along with this could get into serious professional trouble

Maybe someone in management is embarassed at having messed up and is taking it out on the messenger
It happens
Also, the staff member is probably a highly regarded fixture and may have been stirring up feelings about you

==> I'd recommend talking to HR immediately and if they don't reverse the extension of your probation,
then start looking for another job - this company culture sounds unprofessional and just trouble in waiting

@BigChocFrenzy management said U wouldn't expect xxx to steal from the company.

That was before they had spoken to her and I wouldn't take as confirmation that it is theft anyway

"It has costed your organisation more than £20 in addressing the issue"

The cost of checking possible misuse of a company credit card would not be a factor in any company where I've worked
Otherwise, any theft of under a few hundred quid would be ignored

Even if they decided not to proceed with disciplinary action against a possible culprit, none would have punished the person who flagged it up.

namechange They said it was unauthorised, so at least either the staff member or the manager has been very sloppy about financial procedures

Absolutely wrong to punish someone for doing her job in flagging it up, even if they are happy to continue being sloppy

It was unauthorised by the director, we don't know about the manager.

Punishing OP for flagging up the problem is not at all acceptable. The problem they're saying is not that but how things have been with this errant colleague since. If the director/manager/both is happy with what colleague has done but thinks OP has been off with her then that's not to do with flagging the transaction up.

This could be one of those against the official rules but done all the time under the ‘permissible’ unofficial ones. The partners ie owners at my place would not take kindly to a forensic review of their expenses for instance.

It would be totally wrong to shoot the messenger but why are often are. Perhaps as a newbie you steamed in too quick before familiarising yourself with the environment and the protocols / rules like when a PC learns not to arrest everyone for an arrestible offence (usually for practical reasons but don’t doubt coppers habitually get let off for speeding tickets occasionally) and learns the art of discretion

It depends on whether the OP or the staff member has been off, whether either have been stirring

However, it should take a major breach of behaviour in these circumstances for the probation to be extended,
rather than just a quiet word,

because it can cause the OP - and any others in similar roles there - to fear that they will be punished for flagging anomalies like this,
which may discourage them in future for reporting something in time that turns out to be serious

OP Have you had any other difference of opinions during your time of employment? Is it possible that you have rubbed other people up the wrong way?

When a probation period is coming to an end and if there is an ‘issue’, it is not unlikely that other colleagues will have been asked for feedback on you too.

Did you find the role easy to pick up? Do you make suggestions for improvement? Do you point out ways things could be better? While these are asked for in job specs, in my experience many departments don’t appreciate this at all.

I’m wondering whether there are issues other than ‘Anna’ but ‘Anna’ is the one they have used primarily?

Btw OP I’m not suggesting you have done anything wrong. I’m just wondering if you may not be a good overall fit in the company and may be suited to a more corporate environment?