Moocher at work

[qwerty guy]

I notified everyone 2 weeks ago, they could pitch in 20 bucks for Christmas gift for the boss. A couple people opted out.

One guy got very vocal about how we didn't get him anything for his birthday... but this guy is pretty much a known liar, thief, con artist, womanizer... one of those types of people that you can't trust them if they say the sky is blue.

Everyone who was going too, pitched in the money.. I bought the gifts, and a card. I put the card in my personal box at work. As people could without the boss seeing... they would take out the card and sign it.

Well.. this guys name is on the card. He has made it obvious that he's not chipping in. I made it obvious that he is pretty much stealing from everyone in the company, that he took a personal item out of my personal space, both are not excusable... ect. He in his normal faction... acts like I'm the bad guy for not being "cool" about it.

I responded by asking about 3-4 people who have chipped in what they thought about. People are kinda mad. I asked the most mature and level headed people, ones I knew wouldn't make an issue out of it. One said he may as well have taken money out of his pocket, another was amazed he'd have the gall to do it, the third asked me if the guy thinks he's owed anything he wants by anyone he wants it from. I had to tell the third guy "yes" lol.

How do you think this should be handled?

DISCLAIMER: everyone pitched in 20 dollars, but there is a new guy at work, only there a month, makes very little, I only asked him for 5 dollars for the card (he insisted on pitching in 10 which he did) Even after I explained his name would be there just like everyone else, his 5 would be considered an equal share

Another person in the company just can't afford to pitch in, and we know it. He wanted to be included though, and we let him sign the card. He ended up pitching in 10 bucks also, even though he didn't have too.

The sales guy had bought his own gift for the boss, and already gave it to him. He didn't pitch in but because he had already given a gift, we had no problems with him signing the card.

This isn't a money issue. If this person couldn't of chipped in, we still may have allowed him to be included. If he would of asked, maybe we would of let him sign. The issue is him just taking a card that doesn't belong to him, from a place he shouldn't be going into, signing that card that he wasn't authorized to sign, knowing that the card was going to be attached to a very generous gift.

[John81]

I dealt with a similar situation back in the early 90s and that person never did understand what he did was wrong or why I had a problem with it (and he was a professing Christian!).

My situation didn't involve a card though so not sure how to handle the signature. If the signature is small enough, I would almost assuredly scratch it out or do some creative artwork over it. Is that an option?

[qwerty guy]

I can ink over it, or do some art over it.

As a professional cartoonist and former criminal, I can tell you it would be no problem for me to sign everyone's names to a new card, just as they are, with little effort.

I can also "cut" it out with an exacto, replace the cut section with the same color/thickness of poster board, feather the paper fibers and glue the new section in, and no one would notice the paper repair (it's how you repair old documents, art, posters... ect) (did I tell you I also do stuff with antiquities?)

But to be honest... I think I'll go buy the exact same card... go to Kinkos, and say.. Scan this.. erase that... and print the rest on this one.

As fun as 007 stuff is... my time is too valuable so it's easy to pay 10 bucks at kinkos

[John81]

Not a bad solution at all! :thumb

[Psalms18_28]

I would leave it..

I know it would make people mad but the main thing you want your boss to think everyone is thinking of him, including that guy. (afterall, he did sign the card, so it is him that doing the decieving, not you)

And get a separate card attached to the gift and list all the people who pitched in. they don't need to sign it.. you just list the name... It would be more like a "To:" and "From:" tag

[pneu-engine]

In situations lke this we have found it best to "handcarry" the card and keep it under our own personal lock and key at all times except when another is signing it.

[qwerty guy]

I would of done that, but I can go a week without seeing some of these people. I show up at work, leave, and come back when ever. I am usually gone before anyone else shows up, and I usually get back either earlier then everyone, or much much later (like last week when I was almost late to work, because I was still at work)

On the plus side.. over time is nice when you work 32 hours in a row.

[Anon]

What about whiteout and then sign a valid person's name on top of it?

[zealyouthguy]

Leave it.

Unless the purpose of the gift is to obtain favor from the boss... does it really matter? He and everyone else really knows the deal so let him live with it.

[pneu-engine]

I would of done that, but I can go a week without seeing some of these people. I show up at work, leave, and come back when ever. I am usually gone before anyone else shows up, and I usually get back either earlier then everyone, or much much later (like last week when I was almost late to work, because I was still at work)

On the plus side.. over time is nice when you work 32 hours in a row.

Is there a completely loyal and honest co-worker who works regular hours and would see everyone? We cannot do everything ourselves.

[pneu-engine]

Leave it.

Unless the purpose of the gift is to obtain favor from the boss... does it really matter? He and everyone else really knows the deal so let him live with it.

ZYG,

More importantly than that is that we are trying to learn what to do in the future with situations like this.

If we don't learn from history we are destined to repeat it.

[qwerty guy]

Leave it.

Unless the purpose of the gift is to obtain favor from the boss... does it really matter? He and everyone else really knows the deal so let him live with it.

The gift is simply a thanks to the boss for being our boss.

As I explained, it's not a money issue. It boils down to this guy taking credit where it doesn't belong (funny thing is.. that's his M.O.)
I explained how many levels of dishonesty this guy took.

Frankly.. if you see a shop lifter, do you let it go? If this guy went around and just took a couple dollars from each person at work, do you shrug it off?

BTW, just because I make arguments, doesn't mean I'm discounting your opinion. I'm taking this all in. I just see the arguments for all points, trying to get answers.

[qwerty guy]

Is there a completely loyal and honest co-worker who works regular hours and would see everyone? We cannot do everything ourselves.

Good idea, but in this case, I didn't have that option.

[Psalms18_28]

Did you ask him not to sign it?

Have he done this before (At work, not at home) ? if not, I would just let it go. Because when people see other people sign it,they want to sign it too.

It's like an open house tour... even people who aren't buying go in and take a tour around the house.. Unless the Realtor tell them that it is only for people who is looking into buying. What I am saying is.. If you invited openly to people to sign the card, then his name is going to be on it. Unless you tell him otherwise.

It's rude but people are like that.

[qwerty guy]

Psalms has me 99% convinced.

I'd also go with the previous suggestion from the same person to attach a separate "from" card to the gift, this was also suggested by someone at work.

Still taking thoughts though.