My supervisor is using me for his claims/reimbursement

Question

Instead of going through the reimbursement process, my supervisor has raised a request for my night-shift allowance worth one-third of my salary in our company request system platform.

I have never served in the nights. They just want me to return those extra amount once it gets credited in my account. Basically, they are misusing me for their benefits.

He also added that they are making this move with me since I am the junior-most member in our team and that any requests can be raised/approved directly by him. He said, whereas that's not the case with other team members as that would go to senior officials of the company. At least those were his words, which is not true. He is the immediate supervisor for my collegues as well and he gets to approve them.

He might have chosen me because I am only 22 and inexperienced. He wants to use my naiveity. I can't ask him to withdraw the request through a polite e-mail as it might be monitored by HR. It is also difficult to talk to him in person as he is very persuasive and hardly smiles.

I want him to withdraw the request as I can't cancel it, I guess. I don't want the guilt for something I have nothing to do with. Even though, he really toils for the company and my strong feeling is that he isn't trying to deceive the company.

How to tackle this situation?

Answer 1

"I can't ask him to withdraw the request through a polite e-mail as it might be monitored by HR"

Great! Then ask him to withdraw the request though a polite e-mail. Claim you never worked nighshifts and something in the communication between him and you might have gone wrong. This would give the supervisor a way out and would give you a "paper" trail.

He might come to you, then just claim you misunderstood him before and that you never worked nightshifts. That would not even be a lie, you clearly do not understand what is going on and you never worked nightshifts.

The above option gives the supervisor a way out, but personally I would directly contact HR. Tell them you do not understand and if this is normal. You do not own the supervisor any loyalty and this seems like a scam. If someone finds out, he might just claim ignorance and will say he simply trusted you when you claimed those nightshifts.

Again I want to stress that going to HR is the better option. I doubt you want to keep working with a supervisor like this anyway. The first option means you will have to.

Answer 2

Your supervisor is using you to commit fraud. You need to immediately extricate yourself from this situation. Do not sign anything. Take the fastest way to HR and explain it to them. The risk to you in this isn't just that you might get fired, this is criminal charges territory. It's not worth it.

Answer 3

Go to HR immediately with all the information and trace of these requests that you have. This supervisor is more than likely committing fraud or stealing from the company and is using you as a mule.

In case his scheme would go sideways it's likely you will lose your job or even get into legal trouble. Do yourself a favor and prevent situations like this by reporting it.

Answer 4

How to tackle this situation?

You could go a.long with it and make some money, or you could do the smart thing.

Treat it as if you thought it was a joke (which it could easily be). When it's actually happened, you have 2 choices only you can make.

1. Cover your butt by querying the discrepancy innocently and see what eventuates.

2. Get yourself a share.