Guidance concerning whistle-blowing

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ssa_trad_cath

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Not sure this is the correct forum for the question, but here goes! 🙂

There is a situation at work I’m considering how to deal with. I work for a manufacturing company, with my department working to a shift system - mornings, afternoons and nights - with two people on each shift. About a month ago, a guy from one of the other shifts was dismissed for gross misconduct. The exact nature of his offence was never officially disclosed, but all of us had an idea of what he was up to. But nobody ever reported it because we had no definitive proof, and all of us pretty much felt “Well, it doesn’t directly affect me, so it isn’t up to me to say anything.” But I’ve heard, indirectly, that our manager wasn’t too happpy that other people suspected something but kept their mouths shut. Yet the rest of us have a suspicion that he wasn’t completely unaware of it, but that he deliberately turned a blind eye until he was forced into doing something.

It now transpires that I may end up being transferred to the shift of the guy who was dismissed, working with the other person on the shift. And the problem I have is that the guy I’ll be working with also has a reputation, both for doing things he shouldn’t, or not doing things he should. I don’t want to go into details as I don’t have absolute proof. But this guy’s alleged behaviours are pretty much known about unofficially - exept perhaps by our manager, who again my be genuinely ignorant or choosing not to find out.

However, I’ll witness any potential misbehaviours first hand and I’m wondering what my moral obligations would be in that situation? Someone has suggested to me that I keep a diary of any misbehaviours and eventually pass the information to my manager. But I feel on the horns of a dilemma - do I report anything and in some way be responsible if the guy gets dismissed? Or not say anything and potentialy be morally implicated by my silence?

What’s the best option?
 
Your loyalty, in this instance, is to the company that is paying your salary. If the person loses his job you are in no way the cause of his action. It’s that person’s fault they lost their job. You need to document, document document. You don’t have to go looking for problems, but if they are blatant and right in front of you something has to be done. You could actually lose your job if you know something is going on and you don’t report it. It’s much like the honor system at a school. If you know someone is cheating and you turn a blind eye you can be expelled as well. Is it fair that you may lose your job as well? Maybe not, but your company’s reputation is can be on the line. If it goes under, so do you.
 
The best way to procede is to let everyone involved know you are not going to put up with funny business. They will likely label you a “nark” and make your life a living hell; but you can be sure they will take extra steps to avoid your finding them doing anything wrong and if you do catch them, you would not be tattling so much as simply fulfilling what they should come to expect of you.

It is a hard road and a very dangerous one depending on the type of funny business they’re up to.
 
maltmom said:
Your loyalty, in this instance, is to the company that is paying your salary. If the person loses his job you are in no way the cause of his action. It’s that person’s fault they lost their job. You need to document, document document. You don’t have to go looking for problems, but if they are blatant and right in front of you something has to be done. You could actually lose your job if you know something is going on and you don’t report it. It’s much like the honor system at a school. If you know someone is cheating and you turn a blind eye you can be expelled as well. Is it fair that you may lose your job as well? Maybe not, but your company’s reputation is can be on the line. If it goes under, so do you.
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This. Keep notes. I would not make a big deal of telling the other person that you are watching him. All of us are grown ups and he should know better than to do stupid stuff in the first place. Keep very detailed notes.
 
Talk to your union rep.😉

If you don’t have one, you’ll have to deal with this on your own. The person who suggested keeping notes.(keeping book is the common term) is right. You should do this anyway, on a daily basis. It helps to remember the things that go on at work. It also, helps to ensure fair treatment for all workers.

Generally, if you are not management. Then, bringing problems forward, is not your responsibility. But, protecting your job is. So, if there is no way, you can do your job without observing his misdeeds. You’ll have to weigh being a snitch, with covering your tail. Although it’s distasteful to be a snitch. Stealing, (there is no excuse for this), and some other, similiar activities. Should be reported, as they occur. Lazyness, or things of that nature. Which do not impact you, are the responsibility of management.

ATB
 
You need to be ready to handle the consequences. Is this man is doing something that can damage the company, or just stupid things. My husband found out a local person who coached kids and charged LOTS of money was a fraud in many ways, and lied about his credentials and other things, and grossly mishandled money people donated. We were not popular in our town for a while and it got very uncomfortable for me. As time went on more pieces of the truth came out and the gossip mill faded but it is. NOt fun to deal with
 
First, find out the company’s WRITTEN policy and rules. Be very sure you understand them. Follow the written guidance. If there are no policies or rules, you might consider requesting they be issued, especially if the company encourges suggestions.

Second, often what is needed is better training. Request it for all workers in your unit.

Third, MYOB on the minor issues. NO ONE is perfect. Major issues are another matter. 1) Can someone get injured? 2) Can a material dollar value be placed on the loss? A $5 loss is one thing, a $5,000 loss is something else.

Fourth, CYA - cover YOUR assignment. You can keep a dairy of what you do and observe. But be aware that if others know you are ‘keeping book’ you run a real risk of be frozen out. So always remember number two above. I would keep the dairy at home and never mention it.

Fifth, if does come to a point where you feel you must report to a supervisor, do it it in private. Do not threaten a co-worker with, "I’ll report if you do not . . . "

Many supervisors live in fear of loosing their jobs. Many try not to make waves and tend to overlook problems. So determine if you can trust the supervisor. If not, consider a private meeting with a manager or the owner.

If you decide to deal with it, try to find a positive way. “Hey, boss, I was thinking if we try this . . . things might work out better for all of us.” This is much better than saying, “Hey boss, so and so is messing up. You gotta do something.”

If you still have worries about being successful in raising a concern, start to look for employment elsewhere.
 
As for looking for employment elsewhere,
good luck in this economy. I am trying, and there is none so far.
I am on my job subjected to a Sociopath.
Not just a person who does bad things, but an out and out SOCIOPATH.
And they won’t do ANYTHING about her, and she is doing waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
more than violating mere COMPANY policy, and she is doing TONS of it.
It has all been reported, repeatedly, by at least 25 different people.
This Sociopath, however, makes money for the Company
((they’d make an obscene profit without her, but for them, every additional penny
seems to be something they salivate over, so they literally are letting her get away
with murder)), so they keep her, despite the fact that fully HALF of her weekly gross sales figures are sales LITERALLY STOLEN from other employees, and they KNOW THIS and obviously condone it (if they DID NOT CONDONE IT, she would be gone, long ago).

ALL of the fine people above have given you good advice, except one:
The crass statement “nobody likes a rat” made by one poster, is true enough,
nobody does. But there is a difference between a person who has done bad things,
has STOPPED, has offered at least some sort of sincere apology and at least a symbolic attempt to put the matters right, on the one hand,
and a willful, vicious, practicing thief and practicing fraudster on the other.
Quite frankly, for the latter, you SHOULD be a “RAT”, no matter who doesn’t like it.
You can be that Rat anonymously, if possible,
because a GROSSLY unethical and evil person may well do something to hurt you
if they find out that you reported him or her. Malicious people are like that. They aren’t repentant and resent vindictiveness, no, they are willfully evil, intend to continue their evil, and they hate YOU for putting a stop to it. Let them hate you, but don’t let them know it’s you if you can avoid it, for your own safety’s sake. Habitually vicious people TEND TO BE Sociopaths. Be careful. They aren’t called Sociopaths for nothing. Watch out.

Also, DON’T be surprised if your Company, whom you are also trying to protect,
deliberately and willfully turns a bliind eye toward the evildoer or, even worse, PROMOTES him or her. Some of them WILL do that. Because their morals are lower than the evildoers’s morals, because they are deliberately enabling his or her continuing evil behavior on purpose. If after you have reported the matter, the person continues in their employ, acts bolder than ever, and continues their evil actions, then know for certain that the company is condoning and protecting him or her, and say no more. If it is doing harm to your health, document it with your doctor, and let the company know that your doctor is going to back up your assertion, should you make it, that your employer has knowingly destroyed your health.
But be careful. Some employers CONDONE the evildoing because it either
(a) makes them more money or
(b) because the evildoer’s seemingly good performance makes THEM look good
…as a manager.
Peace to you, good soul.
 
“Mickey Finn” above has given good advice, by the way.

I agree with him that it is “distasteful” to be a snitch.
Reporting people’s imperfections, even if gross imperfections,
is extremely self-righteous and cruel.

But a vicious, thieving, unremorseful, arrogant, evil WRETCH?
Whose actions are impacting YOUR ability to work honestly
and YOUR ability to make a decent living? To heck with the distastefulness
of being a “snitch” in such a case:
Nothing distasteful, at all, about reporting that. Nothing at all.

But again, some employers DO CONDONE the Evil,
because they are getting some sort of benefit from it
(financially or image-wise), so do be very, very careful.
Where I live, we don’t have unions on our job, hence no union reps,
and hence no recourse. So good luck to you.
Say the St. Michael the Archangel prayer, over and over again, for protection,
before taking this on.
And even then, expect the full fury of hell to break forth on you for
disturbing one of the Devil’s willful minions.
 
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