To refuse to do this

[Yawnattack]

I started a new role 6 weeks ago in a large company, my manager has today requested that I take responsibility for delivering completed pay forms for temporary staff from our department to the finance department in a different building and recording that delivery on a spreadsheet. There is nobody to sign off on receiving them, they are to be placed in a locked box at the entrance to the building. I am concerned that if something goes wrong and somebody doesn't get paid, the finance department will say they never received it and it would come back on me. Would i be unreasonable to tell my boss i am uncomfortable with this level of responsibility and ask that I not do it. How should I word this request?

Complete the task and take a photo?

Video yourself putting the forms in the lockbox each time. Time and date stamped evidence. Job done.

I don't see any issue with doing this job, although if you have a suggestion for a better method of doing this task you should recommend that Yao your manager.

If it's an established process and has been working to date then what makes you think there will be an issue with it now?

Assume they know what they are doing and what they are asking you to do, i can only see there would be an issue if the whole lot went missing, which they would know about pretty quickly.

Are you not just delivering the forms the pay slips etc , that they are obligated to supply, the payments are probably handled electronically, it has to be locked to stop someone opening up someone elses pay info thats all.

if its cash you are handling in envelopes then you can take pic to show you put it in box if your really worried. but dont sent an email saying you dont want to do a task unless you have a reasonable alternative solution to suggest.

Can't they be emailed? Then you'd have proof.

Could you scan the forms and then email them to the relevant person/team? If not, I would ask if this is a long standing arrangement and if so, have there been any issues with things going missing before?

Look at this as a good opportunity to suggest an improvement to what seems a rather antiquated process from last century?!

Would i be unreasonable to tell my boss i am uncomfortable with this level of responsibility and ask that I not do it.
Massively
How should I word this request?
Hi Boss, here is my resignation letter as I don't want to do this job.

Is this timesheets?

I'd scan them and email the PDF's as well as drop them off.

Is this timesheets?

I'd scan them and email the PDF's as well as drop them off.

Take the photo's for now and review how feasible the other suggestions around changing process are then suggest the best one that can work. Double win.

OP you're overthinking this, these pay forms are presumably timesheets for the finance dept/ payroll dept to process, they are very unlikely to go missing and if they do they could be replaced surely by the employee and the manager raising another one.

If it was payslips and cash I would understand but timesheets have no value other than to the payroll dept

They have asked you to a job, one which seems very reasonable to me, you can't refuse to do it. All jobs come with some level of responsibility.

Just be careful taking photos of peoples personal details - ask the managers how this has worked in the past and about your concerns around things going missing, but YABU to outright refuse.

As soon as you drop the things in the box, e-mail the finance dept asking for confirmation that they have received them. Then the boot is on their foot.

I don't see a problem with this, sorry. I wouldn't be very impressed if one of my staff refused a task like this either - in fact, refusing wouldn't be an option unless they had some kind of disability preventing them from travelling between buildings.

Thanks for the responses. I think part of my worry is that when my manager explained the task he also told me that it is usually done by a manager as these forms are very difficult and embarrassing to have replaced. They cannot be scanned as the finance department will not process them without an original signature. I think I will take a picture of the envelope going into the box to but my mind at ease.