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.

Who issued the temporary pass? Can’t they verify it, they must have taken down your name for H&S?

I would start job hunting, life is too short to work with people like this.

This ^

I would just give them the bank statement (other items redacted). Why don't you want to do this? Sorry if that sounds sarky I'm genuinely trying to understand?

Just supply the bank statement and redact all the other information surely? I think you're being a bit difficult about it, either do that or work the extra day 🤷‍♀️

It doesn’t sound healthy, I agree. But alas people do take advantage of wfh situations - my colleagues do and I feel I work harder. So they are 100% right to be cautious, and the solution (redacting other transactions on the statement) is so simple I rather wonder why OP resistant…is there more back story?

There should be a record of you having a temp pass. Tell you manager to check that and copy HR into it.

Have a google on the legals around checking your pass data... it should really only be used for fire alarm reasons only.
A company that check up on you like thst gives red flags... there are better more flexible places to work out there to consider.

wow a bunch of petty idiots.

Is that the only way of proving it? Won't your phone show where you were?

This

People willing to lick the boot can never understand those who stand on principle.

Do they really think you’d go to all the trouble of lying about a temp pass and faking a bank statement just to get out of one day in the office? Ridiculous way to treat an employee.

This.

You have provided proof. If it were me I would go down the route of getting further proof of the temporary pass (your office security) rather than giving them your bank statement, what the hell?!

They're basically calling you a liar, and unless there is a backstory - I'd also be looking to leave.

What has led to this intense paranoia? Surely they have better things to do? Mark you in, and get on with your day.

If a workplace is less keen on an employee for whatever reason they will actively look for reasons to hold against them in case it can be used in future negotiations for well anything. Was involved with disciplinary meeting years ago, as a neutral party I may hasten to add but the stuff that was raised was wide ranging.

A lot of PPs suggested to provide a record about temporary pass. Why can’t you do that?

can't you provide your train ticket?

I would print it but blank out as much as possible. I’d involve everyone - including my trade union - as they’re expecting a free days labour from you!

Exactly, as mad as this whole scenario is, if they are going to implement this type of policy they need to have mitigations ready for when things go awry - like forgetting your pass. What if you’d brought your own lunch in, how would you prove you were there? Such a ridiculous waste of time and resources.

Yes, ‘redacting’ is what they call it. As infamously used by MPs during the expenses scandal.

Do you have a train ticket?

ETA I can't imagine working somewhere where I was so little trusted. Can you look for something else? This feels personal almost. Any chance they are trying to manage you out?

Surely security will have a record of your temp pass?

To be honest that level of control would be enough for me to leave, utterly ridiculous

If they don't trust you, why would they want you working for their company. I would tell them to poke it, either believe me or don't but they can't sack you for it. Workplace bullying at its best! have their been other discrepancies with others who forget their passes?

I think you're being a bit silly and short sighted. Hybrid work is a privilege and one that many companies are actively trying to close down. I would honestly just blank out the line items on my statement that I felt were confidential, and submit. The original mistake was yours, why cause trouble around your arrangement to work remotelty - why not just do everything they ask to show your compliance with their onsite work reuqirements - or suck it up and come in the extra day to balance it out? Look at the big picture and dont just stubbornly dig your heels in. Its the accumulation of all these small incidents that eventually lead to employers saying fuck this, its too much admin and too much hassle, everyone come back in fulltime.

Redact, as others have said. You did forget your pass. Maybe there are issues with other staff members and they have to be consistent with everyone?