To refuse to provide bank statement to my work to prove I was in the office

[HanExplorer]

I’ve found myself in a very unusual situation and am standing firm so far despite pressure.

I work in a hybrid role with a requirement to attend our office twice a week, this is measured monthly based on card swipe data. On one of the days in May, I forgot my pass so was issued a temporary one to use that day.

Earlier this month my manager flagged I was showing a day short for office attendance in May and said I’d need to make up a further day in June. I looked at the dates they had on record and quickly realised the missing one was when I had the temporary pass so that obviously hadn’t registered on the system.

I explained this to my manager and she still maintained I’d need to attend an extra day to balance the totals on the system as there ‘wasn’t any record of me attending’.

I realised I’d spent money in the on site restaurant that day and there’d be a record on my bank showing the company name. I screenshotted this on my phone, cropped it so you could see the date and sent it to my manager.

She has checked with her manager and told me that I need to provide a copy of a bank statement which shows my name and the transaction - that would of course also show all my other activity!!

This has been dragging on and I’m standing firm so far, but I’ve had a call booked in with my manager and her manager for tomorrow and I’m wary of what they are going to say.

My office is over an hours train journey each way so not a case of driving 5 minutes down the road to work a further day - regardless, I don’t feel I should do out of principle.

You can print a paperless statement and then redact it with a black marker pen.

It sounds like you don’t like being solutions.

No, not necessarily.

It could just as easily be that they've had problems with other employees (e.g., claiming to have been in office when they weren't) so need proof.

That proof usually comes from the pass data (and OP forgot her pass). She offered to provide (and did provide some) details of a relevant transaction as proof instead, and the employer has basically said "Yeah, this works for us, we just need a record to show that this transaction was made by you".

Which has prompted something of a hissy fit.

Unless there is a massive backstory, which I reckon there is. In fact, I predict a huge drip feed on about page 35.

That would certainly make things crystal clear. I think Op has forgotten this all started because she forgot her pass. I think the company needs a better fail safe system so this doesn’t happen again. If OP hadn’t made a purchase on the day I don’t see any way she could have proved she was there as their system is flawed.

Well done. Glad you're a union member.

We will never know the back story
but fact is - very evidently the OP is perceived terribly by her manager
it will be because the op has taken the piss multiple times before

the op is going to be the loser in this, and rightfully so.

OP said upthread that she has received the highest possible performance evaluation so unlikely - assuming it’s true.

Nah, not a chance that’s true

So you think this because the manager won’t take OP’s word for the fact that she used a temporary pass that day ? I’d think that it’s actually the employer taking the piss in not keeping adequate records of the temporary passes being issued.

This whole thing would not have arisen if the op and her manager had a normal healthy working relationship.

It’s driven from the top level, my manager knows it is ridiculous but has to toe the line. I’m hoping the Union’s intervention will make them see sense, and there’ll be some humble pie served for a few of you!

If we forget our badge we have to sign for a door pass with security - don’t you do that so can just show them you signed for door pass?

You don't even need fancy software. Simply Screen shot and use the pen tool on the built in photo editor to redact the other info

Depends on whether it’s OP’s manager insisting on this evidence or whether it’s company policy or an edict from higher management. I’ve worked in plenty of places where higher management have been fast tracked morons with no idea what goes on at grass roots.

Like strangers on the internet would eat humble pie, because you forgot your pass!

Don’t forget it tomorrow for the meeting.

Had to do this once.

Print it.
Blot out everything except the relevant parts.
Photocopy it.
Check if anything needs more blotting out - blot it out.
Copy again, and repeat until you're happy nothing else can be read.
Now scan and email it.

Strangers on the internet (you) appear very wound up over said pass. I am glad I’m providing you some entertainment!

Ps. It’s a virtual meeting 😉

This is AIBU

Where you invite in others opinions.

PS You’re supposed to take them on board, because you asked for them 🤣🤣😆!

OP prefers to moan that there is no solution.

Because the onus is on her to prove she fulfilled her contract, not on them to prove she didn't. On balance, the evidence at the moment says that she didn't so it's up to her to disprove that. The company policy/system that OP is aware of and knows about is that she uses her company-provided card to enter the building and that is the log for her in-office days. She forgot her pass and created the discrepancy.

OP has since provided two pieces of evidence:

1. The temp card being issued
2. The bank screenshot.

The problem is, both of those pieces of evidence are in doubt because (1) her being issued a temp card isn't on the company system and (2) the bank screenshot shows the clearing date not the purchase date.

OP claims to have three further pieces of evidence:

1. The full bank statement (which can be redacted)
2. Her train ticket
3. A witness

She has refused, without reason, to provide any of those "on principle". That alone is suspicious behaviour to most people.

And I'm not sure what other options you think they have? CCTV won't have been retained this long, OP says no one was in the office that day...

This isn't a criminal trial or a court of law - innocent until proven guilty doesn't apply. OP didn't follow the correct process (using her swipe card), if she wants to prove that she did the correct thing despite not following the correct process, she needs to actually prove it. Even if this went to the employment tribunal, it still wouldn't be "innocent until proven guilty" - it's not a concept that applies to his circumstance.

I am very much respecting the majority vote!

Ridiculousness aside, it’s shown a flaw in the security in that they don’t keep track of a temporary pass if a pass is needed for access (and records, which is where this system has fallen down)

This is crazy, such intrusive behaviour from the employer, showing absolutely no trust. Their own systems are not fit for purpose.

The comments and on here are because MN hates WFH, and don’t seem to be based in the real world

Honestly this is so fucking daft.

The business has a system for monitoring attendance.

The OP's manager does not have discretion to take her word for it.

The OP has, in essence, provided a bank statement with the "proof" transaction included and all other transactions and her name redacted.

Obviously, in order for a record of a transaction to prove OP's presence, the record needs to be in the OP's name - she can still redact everything else irrelevant. She's basically still asking her manager to take her word, which they dont have discretion to do.

She is drawing an extremely arbitrary line in the sand and likely making herself look a bit suspect in the process, and for no obvious point of principle or benefit.

But not respecting anyone of the opposing views…

The humble pie, will you be buying that? If not, will I need to prove I’ve bought it? Any ideas how I do that?

PS I predict, you’ll be back tomorrow saying the whole thing has been dropped and they’ve apologised and the systems have been changed 🙄.