Employee lying to me

[intelligentppc]

I have an employee who I’m 95% sure has lied to me on several occasions, though I have no physical proof.

They’ve been here 3 months so far and have already had a week off for a minor car accident. Their partner has also been in a more serious car accident (“induced coma for 2 days”) which they took a couple of days holiday allocation for. Also I gave them 2 half days compassionate leave for an uncle’s death early into the employment.

The main suspected lie was a month ago, they requested a last min day off on their birthday (Monday) due to their partner surprising them with a weekend trip to Prague. On their return I asked them about the trip but was given very vague details. There were no photos offered etc, as would be normal if you’d just returned from a weekend break somewhere interesting.

Then I checked their IG account for something unrelated, and noticed a post on their birthday and one the day before, clearly taken from home.

The annoying thing is that 1) I can’t prove anything and 2) I would have granted the last minute day off anyway, even if no trip was planned.

It’s made me suspicious of all the other events. The uncle’s death - there was no mention of a funeral or any request for time off for that. The partner’s car accident, they seemed completely unruffled at work considering their life partner was in a coma for 2 days...but surely someone wouldn’t make something like that up???

Not quite sure how to proceed, but alarm bells are ringing in a big way and I have the urge to confront this, but don’t have any real proof.

They’re on probation for a further 3 months but it would be a shame to lose someone at this stage of their training and would damage the business...and of course there’s the possibility that they aren’t lying, even though I think that’s slim.

Any advice?

 

[Newchodge]

Some people are fantasists and may believe they need some dramatic reason for requesting a favour. If that is the case here (and it sounds very much like it) you need to decide whether you can live with it. More importantly you need to decide how it may impact your business.

Confronting them with your suspicions is more likely to elicit more lies than to persuade them to change their ways. My advice would be to decide whether your business can cope with someone who deals with issues by telliong lies about them, and if that potential detriment is outweighed by the added value that this individual, at this stage of their training, gives and will give your business.

I would suggest that few businesses benefit from having someone dishonest working for them. So far the lies you believe you know about have only been about their personal life and for personal benefit. What if they have to deal with a business issue where the truth will harm them and their lie will harm the business.

As to whether they are actually lying, it doesn't really matter. You don't trust them. It's that simple.

 

[Mr D]

So they have used holiday for time off agreed by employer plus some extra time granted by the employer.
They may be lying but so far you haven't posted that they are doing anything wrong.

Perhaps tighten up annual leave policy and compassionate leave policy?

 

[ineedadollar]

2 car accidents and an uncles death in the space of 3 months. If you suspect they are lying would it not be cheaper to get rid of them now then after a few more months and having to retrain someone again. If they lie about other things then soon they will start lying about work.

 

[DavidWH]

"I'm sorry I don't think it's working out" as you show them the door.

You're concerned they're lying, taking advantage of your good nature. Suppose they make a mistake, are they going to be honest and admit it, or try and cover it up?

They sound more like a liability than an asset - you're worrying enough that you feel you need to confront the issue, and I doubt confronting it will help matters. I doubt it will get better with time.

Let them go and concentrate on your business not questioning whether they're lying or not the next time something happens.

 

[estwig]

Complete honesty costs, for example employing someone on minimum wage to carry out menial tasks, if you sack everyone who lies to you, your quickly going to run out of people to employ.

If the work is critical and your paying accordingly, then you can be more discerning.

 

[Federico Razzoli]

I don't have experienced advise to give, just some thoughts...

- I think you shouldn't do anything without being certain that he's lying.
- I don't know to which extent it is possible for you to investigate. I suspect it would be better to talk with him friendly, to find out if he has some other kind of problem. For example, is he stressed? Does he like the job and the environment? Does he feel inadequate? Or on the contrary, not appreciated? If he's lying, these could be the reasons.
- Let's not make the problem bigger than it is: as Mr D wrote, he used his holiday time. It could be unpleasant that he did it during probation. On the other side, long probation periods are kind of disrespectful, as you put someone in a situation where his future is uncertain for several months. It also gives the (probably correct) idea that the company doesn't trust at all its recruitment process.

 

[george_michael]

Well, I am not agreeing with most of the people. It doesn't matter whether he takes his leaves or not, I think what matters the most is the integrity of your employee. The man who can easily fake serious issues like pathetic accidents can easily give up sensitive credentials of your company.

I do not know what business you are in, but I do know this for sure that every business has potential competitors and they are always trying to get a hold of info. This type of employee can seriously bring havoc.

I am not saying that go ahead and fire everyone who lies, sad but a truth that you will be run out of people soon. Lying to cover one's mistake can be allowed, I mean who wants to get scolded. But these type of lying leads me to believe that this person is poisonous for your company.

 

[Federico Razzoli]

I hope I was not misunderstood. I do agree that there may be a severe honesty problem. My suggestion is based on the idea that if he lies he most be unhappy with his work - this is much easier to find out and doesn't require proofs.

 

[Financial-Modeller]

Is the employee any good?

If they are, tackle the honesty issue, increase supervision if necessary and tighten policies as necessary.
If they are not, terminate employment whilst under probation.

 

[CHUKTC]

If you have doubts about them now (which you clearly have), it will only get worse over the coming months. Cut your losses now don't wait. As an owner of many businesses over the years I know what it's like to have employees who you suspect of lying - it just leads to sleepless nights. They are still on probation so its much easier for you to let them go now.

 

[Dan@StackSoftware]

This sounds like a no-brainer to me, and I mean no offence.

Get rid. Compassion, relationships, empathy etc. all really, really matter in business (in my opinion!). But there are occasions when, for the sake of your business, you have to nip things in the bud. Whether they've done what you're suspecting or not, they don't have your trust. The hit to your business now is going to be a lot more manageable than the hit to your business when you're having to dismiss them after probation.

 

[Karllacey]

I kind of agree with everyone here, I think it is right that you need to tighten up your manual to demonstrate that you do not set a precedent and also the poster regarding your integrity as a business is also right.

However, you should always treat you business as a third party because it is not about what is best for you, it is about what is best for the business.

Is the employee under an NDA ? Are they going to be a long term liability ? Will the lies also lead to 'fake injuries' and absense due to work related loss/damage/injury.

Lying is not something that will be in your policy I am sure; and what they do on their personal time is up to them because like one poster said, you have agreed it. If you fire them for this and you have agreed it, well thats a tribunal waiting to happen mate.

They are also of course within the trial period as well so you do not need to give reason (subject to the contract) but if you are convinced he or she is lying, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot do the same back and retain your integrity.

For example: Many apologies but in the forthcoming months, it is looking like XXX contract will be reduced and as such, we are looking to consolidate our position until such times that the position is re-assessed. We would happily support you in your future endeavours and feel that you have been an asset to the team whilst you have been there but regretfully circumstance dictates that this is a course of action that my hand has been reluctantly forced to...

 

[Newchodge]

Lying is not something that will be in your policy I am sure; and what they do on their personal time is up to them because like one poster said, you have agreed it. If you fire them for this and you have agreed it, well thats a tribunal waiting to happen mate.

You what? Whatever you mean, they don't have 2 years service, they aren't taking a tribunal.

 

[Karllacey]

If there are grounds for a tribunal, the length of time you serve is negligible. If the OP fires an individual for something the employer have actually agreed to in the first place (and even moreso if the employee has it in writing) any solicitor in the land would be rubbing their hands together at that.

In this instance there are grounds for unfair dismissal which any judge would rule in the favour of the employee.

 

[Newchodge]

If there are grounds for a tribunal, the length of time you serve is negligible. If the OP fires an individual for something the employer have actually agreed to in the first place (and even moreso if the employee has it in writing) any solicitor in the land would be rubbing their hands together at that.

In this instance there are grounds for unfair dismissal which any judge would rule in the favour of the employee.

Completely ignoring the law that states one cannot take an unfiar dismissal case until one has been employed continuously by the employer for 2 years? Do you have any knowledge of employment law?

 

[Karllacey]

Yes, I have plenty of experience both within commercial and employment law and it is the grey areas which are exploitable in all occasions.

This is all from experience, it is absolutely not heresay or speculative.

 

[Newchodge]

Yes, I have plenty of experience both within commercial and employment law and it is the grey areas which are exploitable in all occasions.

This is all from experience, it is absolutely not heresay or speculative.

Where is the grey area in the requirement that an employee MUST be employed for at least 2 years before they can take an unfiar dismissal claim?

 

[Karllacey]

Not really sure why we are fencing here...I really do not see the point. Wrongful dismissal they can claim for as there is no timelimit on this. They might actually receive the same in the first place as unfair dismissal but that is not up to us to decide.

 

[Newchodge]

Not really sure why we are fencing here...I really do not see the point. Wrongful dismissal they can claim for as there is no timelimit on this. They might actually receive the same in the first place as unfair dismissal but that is not up to us to decide.

We are 'fencing' as you call it because you are repeatedly giving false and misleading advice. As you are in this post. Wrongful dismissal, which does not require any period of continuous employment, is when an employer fails to give proper notice. If an employee has been employed for less than 2 years their statutory notice period is 1 week, or less if they had been employed for less than 4 weeks. So the maximum compensation they would get would be 1 week. That is compeltely and utterly different from unfair dismissal.

 

[obscure]

Not really sure why we are fencing here...I really do not see the point. Wrongful dismissal .....

You are confusing two different things. Wrongful dismissal and unfair dismissal are not the same. As such the information you are giving is incorrect in relation to the OPs situation.

 

[JDX_John]

Have you said already if you are happy with their work - is it a position that's hard to fill?