blind_otter Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 We have "route sheets" that go on tax returns at my office. Since the returns go through so many hands for review, each person who handles the return initials and dates when the return passes through their hands. The receptionist does "typing" for returns - she writes the cover letters and formats any attachments. I get the return after her, to review her work. She has been "back dating" her route sheets. For example, I got 4 returns in my inbox yesterday at the end of the day. I put them aside to review today, and I see that she initialed them and wrote 5/23/08 on all the returns. This can't be true, since I didn't get them in my inbox from her until about 4pm on 5/27/08. So it looks like I've been sitting on these tax returns for nearly a week. I guarantee that someone will come into my office and demand an explanation for me sitting on the returns. I normally review everything that comes to my inbox within 24 hours of receiving the file. Should I bring this up to the receptionist now? Or should I wait until someone asks me why I've been sitting on these files? I don't want to be a bitch, but she is making me look bad. The thing is, I have to enter my billable time into a program that everyone sees. The receptionist does not. So I have no way to prove that she has been backdating her route sheets. Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Sure you do. You date and time stamp the route sheet with a "received stamp". I would discuss your concerns with your direct supervisor so he/she supports your acquisition of the stamp as a company expenditure. For the interim before the stamp arrives, you can hand write the information onto the route sheets. Link to post Share on other sites
Art_Critic Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Should I bring this up to the receptionist now? I would... make it non attacking so she doesn't go on the defense and just mention something like.. I noticed that the date you did the cover letters is days before you put them in my inbox.. were they sitting around in a place that I could've gotten to them if they were already done ?.. Something like that.. make her aware that you are looking at the dates she is writing on her sheets... Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Should I bring this up to the receptionist now? Or should I wait until someone asks me why I've been sitting on these files? I don't want to be a bitch, but she is making me look bad. Yes bring it up. This woman IS making you look bad. She couldn't care less how it makes you look, so don't worry about her. Also, mention it to your boss. Link to post Share on other sites
Author blind_otter Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 Well I talked to the receptionist's immediate supervisor and she said, just date them when you receive them in your handwriting to CYA. I think she's getting me a "received by" stamp today, too. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Well I talked to the receptionist's immediate supervisor and she said, just date them when you receive them in your handwriting to CYA. I think she's getting me a "received by" stamp today, too. Cool. I don't understand people like that. I mean, this woman is falling behind and instead of speaking up about it, she's hiding it and trying to make you look bad, like you can't handle the workload. I worked with someone like that for 10 years and man, that guy PISSED me off everyday. Never knew someone could look so busy and actually be doing absolutely nothing. Link to post Share on other sites
Trialbyfire Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Received stamps are standard CYA business practice between departments since neither department can control the others' actions. Link to post Share on other sites
johan Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 Easy solution: take the entire stack of returns, slam them down on her desk, look her in the eye and say, "go ahead and put the right f*cking date on these. I'll wait". It doesn't much matter whether she actually does or not. She just won't want that to ever happen again. Maybe the person before her is back-dating theirs, so she has to do the same in order to avoid trouble. Link to post Share on other sites
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