Compulsive Lying

[jampots]

My sister has recently employed a receptionist to cover maternity leave. The lady started and my sis sent an email out to all clients introducing the new member of staff. One of her clients rang sis up and gave this lady quite a bad report basically saying that this lady temped for her agency for a while and she appears to be a compulsive liar. The lady's brother was apparently killed in the tsunami as well as his new wife (they were on honeymoon), her grown up dd was in a road accident along with her dh etc and the SIL was in a coma. Well sis decided to just carry on with the employment because she actually liked the lady and was excellent workwise. Well she's been there for a week now and hasnt returned after bank holiday due to an appendectomy! An enquiry of the local hospitals has confirmed that she hasnt been there! How would you broach this?

Crumbs, bumping this for you. I would have thought that at the very least, she'd need a doctor's certificate, wouldn't she (which presumably could be double checked)?

I'd be looking for a new employee - if she comes back she'll be a lot of bother I bet. drama after drama for however long.

she might have gone private?

I used to run a temps desk and was often sucked in by seemingly "nice" candidates who told the biggest whoppers ever! I think she needs to speak to the new employee (should she ever see her again) the fact that she has a bad reference is enough reason to "let her go"...and even if she is a good worker when she is actually at work, she sounds very unreliable!

ask for a doctors note to confirm she really had it. totally legit way of finding out

Can your sis double check with her client that this really is the same receptionist?

It's true she might have gone private. I'd play along with it. If she is lieing, your sis can easily call her bluff.

Can she phone back to ask, politely, how long she expects to be off for as you need to arrange cover for her? Surely any hospital would have given her an idea of recovery time. Your sis could ask what hospital she is at, as staff would like to send her a 'get well soon' card. Also, as she's not going to be self certificating, can your sis get details from her about who will sign her off to verify she is too sick to work.

It's also, just possible your sister's client has a grudge against her and has exaggerated her tendency to lie - unlikely, but just a thought?

Is she on probation? If it's for a one month period she can just refuse to make the job permanent which is a legit way of getting rid

she has double checked details with her client (as best as she can) - its definitely hte same person. She really likes this girl and although doesnt want her ill, would like to think she isnt telling her lies. I think playing along is a good idea and see how soon she trips herself up as it were.

Can your sis make an excuse to pop round to see how she's doing after her op.. Also would expect her to be off for more than a few days after an op so could ask for Doctors note to cover the period.

The self certificate certificate is usually only valid for a maximum of (I think) 5 days - from the time the person was last avialable to work - which was presumably last Friday. So she may unwittingly go beyond the limit for being able to self certify and so have to get a doctors' certificate.

JP do you know if she is employed direct by your sisters company or through an agency? TBH though either way, I think I would get rid, as she sounds like a trouble maker. We employed someone, and the day he was due to start, he phoned up and said both his parents had been killed in a car accident that weekend. Me and my boss had a trawl through the internet and couldn't find anything. Anyway, he joined us, and then told me that he had been sexually abused for years, had then had sex with an under age girl and been reported and convicted by the Police. Finally, he was given a laptop, and a few days later, he seemingly got broken in to. I mean my heart goes out for the guy if it is all true, but it was too fishy for us, and we didn't confirm his employment (he was in his probation period still). TBH we sacked him because he used his company credit card for non-business use, but even before that we were going to get rid.

Any news on this jampots? Has your sister had any further contact with this woman this week?

her dh emailed in again the other day to say they hoped she would be home on Friday and werent sure whether they could still go on hols. We have checked all the hospitals within hte city and none of them have a patient with the same name.

ask her DH what ward and hospital she is in as you would like "to send some flowers"???