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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is my boss a scammer?

104 replies

teddysgeamed · 06/12/2019 17:04

Nc as could be outing

I’ve worked at the same company for 10 years this January. Around 4 years ago, the 2 managers (there’s 15 staff,2 managers) came up with a scheme. As far as I’m aware the way it works is £50 is automatically deducted from your wages each month, put into a pot of £700 and the winner is chosen at random. One staff member doesn’t take part anymore as she started a relationship with one of the managers. So there’s essentially a 1 in 14 chance of winning it.
Problem is, in the past 4 years it’s been running I’ve won once!! Am I being unreasonable for saying I no longer want to play this game? I’ve worked out I’ve paid over £2400 into this scheme and only gained £700. But my manager thinks IABU
His reasons are
A) it would take 3 months to change payroll
B) it wouldn’t be fair on everyone else?!
I’m so done with it now, I could do with an extra £50 this month after Xmas. I feel like he’s taking the piss. It’s not written in my contract!
Am I crazy for thinking there could be something sinister going on

OP posts:
Jupiters · 06/12/2019 17:55

You don't know how it's drawn?! So it's not done in public and there's no oversight to make sure it's legit? This is genuinely one of the oddest things I've ever read on here!

Tinkobell · 06/12/2019 17:55

Unless the lottery is done post receipt of your full salary and the draw is undertaken in front of everyone in a transparent manner - ideally with random employee participation, then I can't see how it's fair at all. Sounds like a bloody scam. I'd be wanting my money back and certainly stopping asap.

C8H10N4O2 · 06/12/2019 17:58

so 14 people meekly signed up to hand over £50 from their net salary.

And it isn't clear how the winner is chosen but you are not the only unhappy one.

And you have a payroll system which can't take updates for 3 months (what do they do when someone leaves/is sacked?)

Are the winners' names published and a record kept?

Well its a new scam in my book, never seen anything this daft in the office.

Tinkobell · 06/12/2019 17:58

Why does the employee who is having the manager relationship get to back out? Is it because they've some kind of insider view? Maybe they've been told it's a bloody scam.

longwayoff · 06/12/2019 18:00

Confused noooo. Wrong. Stop immediately.

TheGirlWithTheFeatherTat · 06/12/2019 18:00

You have another post saying you are a stay at home mum and asking if its reasonable to have 4 kinds in one room.... I'm not sure this post is real?

HanginWithMyGnomies · 06/12/2019 18:04

But that doesn’t even add up! So where is the rest of the money going?

Smelborp · 06/12/2019 18:12

I would kick up a HUGE fuss about this.

AngusThermopyle · 06/12/2019 18:17

If its 14 ppl @ £50 each and paid out monthly then that is £700 per month but I'd rather save it op.

MollysMummy2010 · 06/12/2019 18:47

@TheGirlWithTheFeatherTat the other post is a parody of the Radford family - the one on tv with 20 odd kids.

PleasePassTheCoffeeThanks · 06/12/2019 21:44

No no no! Insist you want to stop taking part starting from January.

Wantarefund · 06/12/2019 21:47

Ehhhhhhh how does it take 3 months to change the payroll when payrolks are run every month before payday? ETF?

BrokenLogs · 06/12/2019 21:51

Wow. I can't believe anyone agreed to this, and why it was ever suggested Confused

Tellmetruth4 · 06/12/2019 22:07

Are the managers wages also in the pot or is it only junior staff? Interesting that the employee having it off with the manager is exempt. Wonder if they’ve been told the truth about this strange lottery?

JenniferM1989 · 06/12/2019 22:17

So out of the 48 draws over 4 years you have won once? Sack it off. Is there a list of who wins each month?

Aridane · 07/12/2019 07:55

What do HR say ?

Given that there are less than 20 people, I doubt there is an HR dept - though the way this is going, , they will probably need one

vivacian · 07/12/2019 08:03

This has to be one of the most ridiculous threads I've ever read (and that's saying something). I cannot believe that so many people have been doing this for so long.

Ghostontoast · 07/12/2019 08:37

Ask your boss if it is licensed with the local lottery authority and if he is the “promoter”. There is the chance that you will be next the lucky winner!

Doyoumind · 07/12/2019 08:44

This isn't legal from a gambling perspective I'm sure. You need a licence, process and you have to complete paperwork each month in order for it to be legal never mind all the other issues with the scheme.

Aridane · 07/12/2019 08:46

Whether or not anything sinister is going on, it's illegal!

ScreamingValenta · 07/12/2019 08:49

This situation is so bizarre that at first I thought the OP might be metaphorical and the thread was actually going to be about taxes being unfair on those who don't use them.

Further posts indicate I was wrong. It's just bonkers!

Cordial11 · 07/12/2019 08:50

Oh my! This is SHOCKING! Why anyone came up with this idea I don’t know.

Abit suspicious the employee who opted out happened to shack up with a manager to??

chomalungma · 07/12/2019 08:52

Mathematically, does it make sense?

How much money do you put in in a year?
How much would you expect to win in a year?
Lotteries don't make sense anyway - but you can win a large amount

You're also being very unlucky with the draws to have only won once in 3 years...

Oh - and it's probably illegal as well.

chomalungma · 07/12/2019 08:55

His reasons are
A) it would take 3 months to change payroll
B) it wouldn’t be fair on everyone else

Ask him what the chances are of winning and why haven't you won as much as everyone else.

How are the draws conducted?

He's not called a Father Ted Dougal is he......

Sweetdreamer93 · 07/12/2019 09:03

Does your boss/company hold a gambling licence?