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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU reporting colleague

197 replies

endofmytether4 · 10/02/2022 12:07

My colleague is in a senior position to me. In our office we don't have a clock in/out system and we have no onsite management.

Part of her job is to fill in a timesheet on behalf of everybody in the department.

Over the last year or so she has never worked a full week and marks on the calendar that she has a couple of hours holiday leave to take maybe twice- three times a week. I was suspicious for a while because although she doesn't take full weeks off, it seemed like she had a lot more leave than anyone else.

Her leaving early means a lot more work for me as we get busier towards the end of the day and if she took a full day off, someone would cover her role but not if its just a couple of hours.

Last week when she left early I checked the timesheets and she hasn't declared any of these hours. She has almost four weeks of leave left and we have been offered payment for any days left at the end of the year (April- April) so I'm assuming she's going to cash it in.

Our manager has no way of knowing she's doing this unless someone explicitly tells her.

YABU- she might have a reason she needs to leave early so much/she might need the holidays and the extra money.
YANBU- she is abusing the system and making work life more difficult for the people who have to pick up her slack.

OP posts:
Shoxfordian · 10/02/2022 12:09

Maybe your manager does already know

blyn72 · 10/02/2022 12:10

I wouldn't report her but I would speak to her about it. A direct approach is often the best way. At least give her a chance to explain and you can tell her how her absences inconvenience you.

Wingedharpy · 10/02/2022 12:10

Does part of your role involve "checking the timesheets"?

Totalwasteofpaper · 10/02/2022 12:11

YANBU.

But I tend to mind my own business when it comes to these things…
If you are intent on telling her line manager - I would whistle blow carefully and anonymously and tell NO ONE in the office and act clueless about it all….

Jobseeker19 · 10/02/2022 12:13

Yanbu, snitch it up and come back and tell us how it went. I hate people to take the piss.

AlternativePerspective · 10/02/2022 12:15

yes I would report. She’s taking the piss, she’s not the first and she won’t be the last, but the truth is that people get away with this kind of behaviour precisely because others are afraid to speak up.

My eXH worked with someone like this. He was constantly off on a Friday, saying he was off sick, but he didn’t ring his direct manager he rang the team so it was never flagged to his manager. Then one day he accidentally rang the wrong team and it all came out. he was sacked immediately.

NeesAndToes · 10/02/2022 12:15

Do you have a legitimate reason for checking the timesheets? Can you ask to do the same thing and leave early?

Isseywith3witchycats · 10/02/2022 12:15

what she is doing is actually fraud declaring shes worked hours she isnt doing and if there was a fire in the building and she has slid off home early the fire brigade would waste time looking for someone who isnt there so yes i would report it to management

Original poster
endofmytether4 · 10/02/2022 12:18

@NeesAndToes

Do you have a legitimate reason for checking the timesheets? Can you ask to do the same thing and leave early?
Yes, they're available in the shared drive and if you had some sort of special leave approved you would amend the record yourself as that would be agreed between you and your manager.
OP posts:
DreamerSeven · 10/02/2022 12:19

I’d raise it with your manager in a “as Barbara is regularly taking a couple of hours a week of leave, it’s putting additional stress on my workload. Are there any plans to backfill her hours so we have adequate cover? You can see from the calendar how often this is occurring” That way you’re raising it from the point of view of how it’s affecting you rather than accusing her of anything.

melj1213 · 10/02/2022 12:22

If it was a one off or an emergency then I would let it slide but if she is doing this regularly then it amounts to fraud and theft of time from the company, not to mention makes your work harder, so I would 100% report it especially if there is no other way for her boss to be aware.

Once it's reported they can start an investigation - eg looking back at CCTV and comparing when she came in/out compared to her time sheet reporting - and any consequence will be entirely her own fault.

NeesAndToes · 10/02/2022 12:22

@DreamerSeven

I’d raise it with your manager in a “as Barbara is regularly taking a couple of hours a week of leave, it’s putting additional stress on my workload. Are there any plans to backfill her hours so we have adequate cover? You can see from the calendar how often this is occurring” That way you’re raising it from the point of view of how it’s affecting you rather than accusing her of anything.
That's a good idea. Need to try and flag it in a way that isn't accusing her. As you have access to the document that make it easier
Snoozer11 · 10/02/2022 12:24

How do you know she isn't attending medical appointments or has caring responsibilities which her manager knows about?

NeesAndToes · 10/02/2022 12:25

@Snoozer11

How do you know she isn't attending medical appointments or has caring responsibilities which her manager knows about?
Yes this is what I was thinking. So it could be entirely innocent.
RandomMess · 10/02/2022 12:27

I would raise with your line manager that her regularly taking leave for a few hours at the end of the day most weeks is impacting on your workload and you can't keep managing to cover her work.

Original poster
endofmytether4 · 10/02/2022 12:28

@Snoozer11

How do you know she isn't attending medical appointments or has caring responsibilities which her manager knows about?
Because it would be stated as special leave on the timesheet.
OP posts:
Natty13 · 10/02/2022 12:29

"Susan leaving early to use up her leave a few times a week every week is adding to my workload towards the end of the day and causing me a lot of extra stress. Is there any way we can arrange to have cover for her or if I can jiggle my responsibilities somehow to avoid the pressure her never working a full week puts on me?"

Original poster
endofmytether4 · 10/02/2022 12:29

@DreamerSeven

I’d raise it with your manager in a “as Barbara is regularly taking a couple of hours a week of leave, it’s putting additional stress on my workload. Are there any plans to backfill her hours so we have adequate cover? You can see from the calendar how often this is occurring” That way you’re raising it from the point of view of how it’s affecting you rather than accusing her of anything.
This is a good plan, thank you!

It's two or three times a week this is happening.

OP posts:
IntermittentParps · 10/02/2022 12:31

I came on to say something similar to DreamerSeven. Raise it in a 'your workload' way rather than a 'snitching on her' way.

NeesAndToes · 10/02/2022 12:32

Nice one @Natty13

You could also ask if there is a maximum number of days you can be paid for?

Mo1911 · 10/02/2022 12:33

I think you should speak to her about it first before going up the line. You have absolutely no idea what's going on in her life and seem to be assuming she's going off to put her feet up somewhere.

LlamaLucy · 10/02/2022 12:33

Absolutely report her!

xILikeJamx · 10/02/2022 12:36

Instead of stressing and 'picking up the slack' I would leave the slack to start causing a massive headache for your boss. Then when they come to ask what's going on you have a legitimate reason to tell them (and possibly plead ignorance to it being some sort of 'scam')

Changechangychange · 10/02/2022 12:36

YANBU, but your manager may not do much.

DM found out that her line manager was claiming her worked from 00.01 am to 23:59 pm, then claiming the flexitime back, ie essentially only working 2 days a week but being paid for 5. She reported it. What happened? Nothing, and he carried on doing it. DM was told to drop it. He was “close to retirement”, apparently. He ended up retiring five years later, having continued to defraud the taxpayer for that whole time. Local council.

PissedOffNeighbour22 · 10/02/2022 12:39

Report! I worked with someone like this. He took so much extra annual leave and flexi it was a joke. While I was on maternity leave the bastard got promoted to a senior position and will now be paid £50k a year for doing fuck all.
A colleague and I decided to wait as we knew our manager would get in trouble for not doing the proper checks but now I wish I'd have just reported the lazy git.

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