Q: Two people in our office, a mother and daughter, are falsifying hours on their time sheets. The rest of us are honest employees who show up for work, do our jobs and make up any time we miss.
Our boss works in a different location, so she doesn't know what goes on here. When we gently tried to tell her about this problem, she said we were being petty.
Now these two women are getting paid for hours and hours of overtime, but they're not even working their regular hours. Their dishonesty is hurting morale and causing a lot of resentment. What is our ethical responsibility in this situation?
A: Your "gentle" description of this scam may have been too vague. To get the attention of your off-site boss, you must clearly convey the magnitude of the problem.
For the next couple of weeks, record the exact number of hours these overtime bandits actually work. Then compare the true attendance figures with their time sheet reports. Send this information to your manager with a note signed by you and your co-workers.
If your boss continues to ignore the fraud, you may have to choose between justice and self-protection. The next logical step is to report the violations to human resources or upper management. But going over your manager's head does risk making her angry.
Once you have informed the appropriate people about this deception, you've done all you can do. If the higher-ups fail to act, file this experience under "life's not fair" and let it go.
Q: After a job interview, I know you should send a thank-you note. I normally fax my letters the same day or the day after. However, I have some questions about this process.
When I'm interviewed by several people, should I include all of their names on one letter or send a separate letter to each person? If I send separate letters, can they all have the same wording, or should each be different?
If someone doesn't give me a business card, what if I forget his or her name or don't know how to spell it?
A: With multiple interviewers, you should send separate notes. A single letter may not get passed around. Using identical wording is OK, but you'll make a stronger impression if you include specific comments about each interview.
If you need the name of an executive, check the company's Web site. For others, call the main number and ask the receptionist for help. You don't need to give a lengthy description of your dilemma. Just say that you're addressing a letter.
To avoid this problem in the future, present your own business card to the interviewer and ask for one in return. Unemployed job-seekers should have professionally printed cards with their names and contact information.
And stop faxing your letters. Fax copies often look sloppy, so take the extra time to put your notes in the mail. This gives you one more chance to make a good impression.
All this may sound like a lot of work, but the most successful job-seekers view the quest for employment as a job in itself.
- Marie G. McIntyre is an Atlanta-based workplace coach. Her weekly column is syndicated by Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. Send questions at www.yourofficecoach.com.