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Original poster

Partner has used Work Credit Card for Personal Expenses!

311 replies

Charcol · 17/10/2024 05:30

Hes been called in for a disciplinary meeting to explain himself.

I have advised him to co-operate and tell the truth as best as poss. Its several transactions, including cash withdrawals. Although he has never tried to claim them as a business expense to recoup the money from work, and has paid the monies back after use.

However, the policy is no personal expenses!

What are the best options to avoid dismissal? Has anyone witnessed or seen similar scenarios? Advise would be much appreciated. thanks!

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 17/10/2024 05:46

No advice but why on earth did he do it?
it’s misuse of company money
did he pay it back; did he admit it or wait till his employers realised?
how many times did he do it?

TillyKister · 17/10/2024 05:47

Hmmm, it's always a bit tricky in situations such as this, as it does very much depend on the stance of the company, and conduct of the employee prior to this situation.

My employer operates a very hard policy on situations such as this, they make it quite clear that any personal use, not previously agreed upon by the company warrants dismissal.

It's all about trust and responsibility. If having a credit card is part of the job, you've got to be able to act responsibly in using it. They need to know you can be trusted.

If your partner was aware that the firm stipulated no personal usage, and he used it, then he breached their policy. Regardless as to whether he paid it back or not.

As you say, the best thing he can do is be honest, to comply with their investigation, and admit everything. It may also help if they were essential items he's used the card for. If it's been him going on a bit of a spree, and thinking he'll just repay it when he's paid, and using it for crap then they'll take a very dim view.

I guess it depends on how much he's spent too.

penguinbiscuits · 17/10/2024 05:49

I've known two people who did this.

One was made to pay back $6,000. Fashion company.

The other was fired (claimed only small spending was involved but not sure how true). He was in banking.

TemuSpecialBuy · 17/10/2024 06:41

I did this once purely accidentally/absentmindedly with personal flights! I didn't even notice 😳
I repaid as soon as it was flagged and there were no repercussions all.
At a different company i had someone i line manage do something similar again no issues.

This sounds different...like it was systematic abuse of the card.
They are going to take a very dim view of this.
Presumably hes a professional who is reasonably well paid if he has a company card.
Which begs the question why not just use your overdraft or own CC?
The cash is especially unexplainable.

What was it for? Why take cash out on a work card?

He'll need good answers
Does he have a drug or gambling problem (that was my first thought)

Justsayit123 · 17/10/2024 07:00

Once is a mistake. Multiple times, and withdrawing money … looks very bad.

Justsayit123 · 17/10/2024 07:00

And who on earth withdraws cash from a credit card anyway!

MoreCardassianThanKardashian · 17/10/2024 07:06

Some people at my work have done this accidentally and realised when they're putting their expenses through which we have to do monthly. They've explained and ticked the box that they have to reimburse.

Problem is - has he done that and said it was a company expense already?

Why did he do it?

Edingril · 17/10/2024 07:07

Justsayit123 · 17/10/2024 07:00

Once is a mistake. Multiple times, and withdrawing money … looks very bad.

Once error the rest fraud

NashvilleQueen · 17/10/2024 07:09

What sort of personal expenses? And why would he withdraw cash from any credit card let alone a company one?

Are you sure he repaid before the irregularities were noticed?

SerenityNowSerenityNow · 17/10/2024 07:16

I accidentally used my work card on my Uber account but paid it back immediately.

This sounds like he was doing it intentionally? Is that correct?

Dinnerplease · 17/10/2024 07:24

@SerenityNowSerenityNow I'm always doing that- in Uber you can change the payment method in the app after you've paid and it refunds it to the card straight away (probably still have to process the expense to account for the payment and refund but not have the hassle of paying it back...). Any off topic, sorry OP.

ComtesseDeSpair · 17/10/2024 07:27

Although he has never tried to claim them as a business expense to recoup the money from work

I’m assuming he did it because he didn’t have enough money for whatever he wanted to buy and was “borrowing” from work? Otherwise, unless he has some really good examples of when he had to use the card because there was no other option, I suspect he is lying to you. Nobody repeatedly uses their company credit card - particularly for cash withdrawals - for personal expenses without trying to gain something for themselves. I’ve accidentally used mine in the past mistaking it for my own card, and once when I had no other cards on me, but I flagged it up to HR immediately. If he didn’t do likewise, he doesn’t have much chance of avoiding being accused of misconduct.

ComtesseDeSpair · 17/10/2024 07:35

And if he was “borrowing”, ultimately it’s no different to taking cash from the till or safe, with the intention of paying it back eventually. It’s theft regardless.

Gazelda · 17/10/2024 07:37

This was obviously not a mistake. He's likely to receive serious consequences. It'd be dismissal at any place I've ever worked.

ruffler45 · 17/10/2024 07:46

The best you can hope for is a formal warning and the credit card removed.

The worst (and most likely) is dismissal for gross misconduct (sorry) as he went against company policy (and he knew it) more than once. The trust he had has gone and why would they trust him in future.

Possilby best he resigns before he is dismissed at least he might keep it off his rap sheet but doubt he would get any reference.

GreenBlinker · 17/10/2024 07:47

Tough one... sadly, could be viewed as gross miss conduct and result in dismissal. We had few of those on my company, all had different outcomes. It will also depends of the circumstances of why did that happen as well. The worst part is, if they dismiss him for gross misconduct it will come up in his references in the future.
Sorry this may not be helpful at all but that's just based on my experience in my company.

VaddaABeetch · 17/10/2024 07:52

Where I work it’s seen as theft. It’s made very clear when you get the card that it is never for personal use.

It’s instant dismissal here. I know an ex colleague who was allowed to resign, she had used the company card as she was in debt.

Ilovelifeveryverymuch · 17/10/2024 07:52

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

TeamPlaying · 17/10/2024 07:54

It’s a tough one OP. I’m afraid I agree that this could be gross misconduct and immediate dismissal.

Mistakes happen, but if he’s done this multiple times and not declared it, then it’s not a mistake. The fact that he’s paid it back (assuming he has) goes in his favour. It will partly depend on his employer’s policy and his history with them. If they’re looking at dismissing him, he might be able to request to resign instead to protect his employability.

BlackOrangeFrog · 17/10/2024 07:54

Yeah, once a d then realising is a mistake.

He's just got away with it until now and decided it was ok.

Wolfpa · 17/10/2024 07:57

What were his reasons? I once accidentally paid for a Toll charge on my corporate card and was just able to log it as a mistake and pay for the charge.

if it is an ongoing thing where he is temporarily borrowing money it will be a sacking offence

mitogoshigg · 17/10/2024 07:58

Once could be a genuine mistake, multiple times sounds like it was deliberate or at best sloppy.

Dp has his in his wallet and (stupidly really) it's identical to his personal one, on several occasions he's used it by accident but of course his personal pin didn't work so he realised and switched. He also runs the company so wouldn't be an issue if it was a mistake

lololulu · 17/10/2024 07:58

What does - tell the truth as best as poss. Mean?

You think there are some things he can't say? or is it just a turn of phrase?

sashh · 17/10/2024 08:01

Have someone in the meeting with him, a union rep if possible or otherwise a trusted work colleague.

I'm sorry but several transactions are red flags to an employer.

A one off by mistake anyone can understand but several? And then cash as well?

Sorry OP but I think that is going to be difficult to explain.

ThatsNotMyTeen · 17/10/2024 08:03

If they have a clear rule and follow a fair process a dismissal is likely to be fair. He can try and appeal to their better nature and see if they’ll give him a final written warning instead but no guarantee. Or he could resign and try and ask for a factual reference