Being Pressurised to falsify documentation?
- Thread starter Sone
- Start date
Just be wary the MD doesn't try to spin it into "Look, we're not technically breaking any rules. We were on site, correct? Yes, we were. We made observations whilst we were there. We just need to write that up into a report, it's not like we are falsifying records for a site we've never been to right? Let's be sensible about it. We need to book this invoice for half year or the finances are dipping into the red. I'd write the report myself but it needs to come from someone knowlegeable in this area. I've been hearing a lot of good things about you and if we land this invoice we're well placed for growth which could open up some new role XYZ. We need a solid, pragmatic team player to fill this role.
Listen, I'd never ask anyone to do anything unethical, I'd lose my position on the board. I wouldn't ask anyone to do something if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. How about it, Sone, are you a team player?"
Listen, I'd never ask anyone to do anything unethical, I'd lose my position on the board. I wouldn't ask anyone to do something if I didn't think it was the right thing to do. How about it, Sone, are you a team player?"
I think that's where the independent advice/solicitor comes in for the OP.
Also, get everything in writing/electronic copies of any objections and rebuttals from them. As in I'd e-mail your concerns and BCC your own Gmail/whatever address. If you have a meeting where they try something on as in the above post, claim that technically they can bill for it (I mean we don't know all the details) then again send an e-mail to confirm that they've told you they want to do X etc.
If you've done the legal minimum then part of this is a business decision for them re: billing the customer but the falsifying results part is something you don't want to be involved with and I'd put that in writing in an e-mail and keep a copy, refuse that part of it. Getting a customer to pay a high price for some work is one thing, defrauding them/falsifying stuff is another ball game entirely - you might reluctantly want to do something unethical/objectionable to save your job there (and keep a record of your objections) but don't cross the line into doing anything illegal and do seek independent legal advice on this to try and ensure you don't inadvertently break the law either.
Ultimately it's not a nice situation to be in, you want to protect your own job but you also need to stand up for yourself and push back on this stuff, you've gotta do it constructively, try and offer solutions that don't involve any illegality but ultimately be confident in saying no to certain things and pushing back hard on obvious red lines. Perhaps some fudge could involve you offering to be proactive, call the client, talk through their concerns, sell the work you have done confidently but also get sign off from your current employer for a day or two to spend at the client site to finish it all in order to reassure the client and make sure you're doing the job properly. Currently, they're down £12k of revenue from this client surely they can afford a day or two of your time to recover that properly.
Internally you need to push this as a future business thing, the client isn't stupid, you want to retain them and repair relations with them for the sake of not just revenue they're refusing to pay but future revenue - you management is being incredibly short-sighted if they're going to try to openly rip them off - not only are they showing themselves up to be cowboys and damaging future relations but also opening up the company to legal action, the client just carrying on refusing to pay etc..
Also, get everything in writing/electronic copies of any objections and rebuttals from them. As in I'd e-mail your concerns and BCC your own Gmail/whatever address. If you have a meeting where they try something on as in the above post, claim that technically they can bill for it (I mean we don't know all the details) then again send an e-mail to confirm that they've told you they want to do X etc.
If you've done the legal minimum then part of this is a business decision for them re: billing the customer but the falsifying results part is something you don't want to be involved with and I'd put that in writing in an e-mail and keep a copy, refuse that part of it. Getting a customer to pay a high price for some work is one thing, defrauding them/falsifying stuff is another ball game entirely - you might reluctantly want to do something unethical/objectionable to save your job there (and keep a record of your objections) but don't cross the line into doing anything illegal and do seek independent legal advice on this to try and ensure you don't inadvertently break the law either.
Ultimately it's not a nice situation to be in, you want to protect your own job but you also need to stand up for yourself and push back on this stuff, you've gotta do it constructively, try and offer solutions that don't involve any illegality but ultimately be confident in saying no to certain things and pushing back hard on obvious red lines. Perhaps some fudge could involve you offering to be proactive, call the client, talk through their concerns, sell the work you have done confidently but also get sign off from your current employer for a day or two to spend at the client site to finish it all in order to reassure the client and make sure you're doing the job properly. Currently, they're down £12k of revenue from this client surely they can afford a day or two of your time to recover that properly.
Internally you need to push this as a future business thing, the client isn't stupid, you want to retain them and repair relations with them for the sake of not just revenue they're refusing to pay but future revenue - you management is being incredibly short-sighted if they're going to try to openly rip them off - not only are they showing themselves up to be cowboys and damaging future relations but also opening up the company to legal action, the client just carrying on refusing to pay etc..
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I thought the same, for a company that is big enough for him to have at least one colleague, a Line Manager, a Director, and an MD as 4 different people, £12k sounds relatively small fry in terms of losing on-going business, unless those bridges are already burned.
Honestly, taking what's been said at face value, given this relates to "things covered by HSE and a goverment regulatory authority", and there is an industry reputation worth retaining (inferring it would be possible to get a job elsewhere if he doesn't get into hot water with the regulator), I would not be touching this. Too much stress likely to come from going through with it:
Honestly, taking what's been said at face value, given this relates to "things covered by HSE and a goverment regulatory authority", and there is an industry reputation worth retaining (inferring it would be possible to get a job elsewhere if he doesn't get into hot water with the regulator), I would not be touching this. Too much stress likely to come from going through with it:
- Knowing you've acted unethically (the fact you posted on here implies you have some level of morals)
- Worrying that you've acted illegally (or at best done something that could jeapordise your career prospects in the industry) and it could just be a matter of time before you receive a knock on the door, virtual or otherwise.
- Having this potentially held over you as some sort of leverage... what happens the next time they want a dodgy report written, who are they turning to? The guy who did it last time. He's now stuck between a rock and a hard place because it's tough for him to be a whistleblower on Round 2 if he's already incriminated himself on Round 1. It's like someone taking a bribe, he's on the slippery slope moving forwards, their female dog forever more.
Your company didn't do the cladding inspection and safety stuff for Grenfell did they?
As others have said though, don't get yourself into anything illegal and keep copies of everything in your own personal locations, outside of work.
If anything comes of it and they make your life difficult or worse, no longer need your services, you've got an unfair dismissal slam dunk.
As others have said though, don't get yourself into anything illegal and keep copies of everything in your own personal locations, outside of work.
If anything comes of it and they make your life difficult or worse, no longer need your services, you've got an unfair dismissal slam dunk.
