• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

I ain't no rat, but.....

To rat or not to rat?

  • Rat em out personally

    Votes: 21 29.2%

  • Rat em out anonymously

    Votes: 32 44.4%

  • Tell them you've seen them stealing time and to knock it off

    Votes: 15 20.8%

  • Leave it alone

    Votes: 3 4.2%

  • Ratty carrots

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Total voters
    72
#82
Before I retired I spent thirty years in management positions, part of my job was dealing with issues of this nature. Twelve years ago I took over running a division that had high internal theft, the highest in the country. They had been losing money locally for years. My first year and a half there was spent doing little more than catching and prosecuting employees who were stealing. At the end of my first year we were already profitable.

Turn them in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: murphy and INTP
#83
Immigrant said:
wut

Then how are you watching them steal time by punching each other in and out without going out of your way to catch it?

I change my mind again. MYOB
Click to expand...
Their department is by the copiers and the back door. I'm walking passed their computers all day. I've seen them punching each other out. I'm not standing their watching but I've seen it. They're idiots.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pjbassist and Immigrant
#84
Immigrant said:
Okay. It's obvious this is a way more serious topic for you than it is for me. Whose to say the guy who is punching his buddy out is going to just shrug his shoulders and put his friend's card back?

You're right. There is nothing the OP can do. Employers are just going to face the fact that employees will steal time using the cards and pay them anyway.

To heck with it. Rat on em Gorn.
Click to expand...


Sure, it's way serious for me. I'm totally invested now.:)

Never said there's nothing he can do. I gave my suggestion on what he should do several posts ago. Pretty reasonable I thought. Likely to not only keep his fingerprint off of the mess, but could even get him rewarded if it saves money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Immigrant
#87
I don't get the whole "rat" mentality. We are not, as a society, a bunch of mafiosos.
Thieves are one of the lowest forms of humanity. We all hate them, especially when they steal our things. Then you wouldn't have a problem in the world with assisting in any way to insure that prosecution and consequences are processed. You wouldn't invite one into your home for dinner or encourage one to date your daughter, so why would anyone feel any motivation to protect a known thief from getting his just reward?
 
  • Like
Reactions: FilterFunk, Downunderwonder, GregC and 1 other person
#88
Biggbass said:
I don't get the whole "rat" mentality. We are not, as a society, a bunch of mafiosos.
Thieves are one of the lowest forms of humanity. We all hate them, especially when they steal our things. Then you wouldn't have a problem in the world with assisting in any way to insure that prosecution and consequences are processed. You wouldn't invite one into your home for dinner or encourage one to date your daughter, so why would anyone feel any motivation to protect a known thief from getting his just reward?
Click to expand...

^This.

Theft of hours in the workplace is theft any way that you look at. Stealing from the company does affect you, whether or not you realize it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FilterFunk
#89
Biggbass said:
I don't get the whole "rat" mentality. We are not, as a society, a bunch of mafiosos.
Thieves are one of the lowest forms of humanity. We all hate them, especially when they steal our things. Then you wouldn't have a problem in the world with assisting in any way to insure that prosecution and consequences are processed. You wouldn't invite one into your home for dinner or encourage one to date your daughter, so why would anyone feel any motivation to protect a known thief from getting his just reward?
Click to expand...
I agree. To rat someone out normally means to betray one of your own to the authorities. Since I hate thieves, and I am not one them, I would have no problem tipping off management to what is going on. With that said, I would not call that a rat out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FilterFunk
#90
Gorn said:
I've been watching time theft taking place every day at my job. Some people are hourly and have to punch in and out. For the last few months I've been watching two people punch each other out fraudulently. They're playing the clock to give themselves more hours and thus more money.

It's not my company and I'm not a rat so I'd normally never even consider saying a word about this...but it's contributing to too many hours showing up on the company's bottom line and this could eventually lead to cutting down or cutting off of overtime. I'm not hourly but I do work a lot of overtime. The time theft is none of my business but if it's eventually gonna hurt me......

Would you rat them out? Would you let them know that you know and they should cut the crap or else? Would you just shut up about it? It doesn't affect me now but it very well could be if they start cracking down on overtime.
Click to expand...
If they steal time, what else do they steal? Never trust a thief.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gaolee and Stewie26
#93
mellowinman said:
Only people with a criminal mindset think of something like that as "ratting."

If I have knowledge of you doing wrong, and I don't tell anyone, I am "aiding and abetting."

And I'm not going to do that.

Not for anyone.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Although your assertion falls apart considering I don't have a criminal mind set and I do consider this ratting. Since I'm an anybody....well there it is.
 
#95
mellowinman said:
What happened to you? When you used to be on Star Trek, you weren't this argumentative.

If you consider it "ratting" then you "do" have a criminal mindset.

By definition.
Click to expand...
I consider telling on someone to be ratting on someone regardless of the circumstances. I don't have a criminal mindset. The world is full of contradictions.

I've always been argumentative but especially when someone asserts something about my personality that isn't true.
 
#96
Gorn said:
I consider telling on someone to be ratting on someone regardless of the circumstances. I don't have a criminal mindset. The world is full of contradictions.

I've always been argumentative but especially when someone asserts something about my personality that isn't true.
Click to expand...

It's not about your personality. To consider it "ratting," when someone is stealing money? Criminal mindset. The HONEST thing to do is to tell the employer what you know. The DISHONEST thing is to not tell them. How do you define it when you consider doing the DISHONEST thing "ratting?"
 
#97
mellowinman said:
It's not about your personality. To consider it "ratting," when someone is stealing money? Criminal mindset. The HONEST thing to do is to tell the employer what you know. The DISHONEST thing is to not tell them. How do you define it when you consider doing the DISHONEST thing "ratting?"
Click to expand...
We have differing view points on what's considered dishonest.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blue4
#98
Gorn said:
We have differing view points on what's considered dishonest.
Click to expand...

Well, let's be clear. If I am your boss, and I find out you knew someone was stealing from me, and didn't tell me, not only would you not be in line for promotion, I would also consider firing you. You know someone's stealing; you help them get away with it by staying silent, and that's somehow NOT dishonest? Looks like I finally get to join the Talk Bass Boyscout Brigade after all!
 
#99
mellowinman said:
Well, let's be clear. If I am your boss, and I find out you knew someone was stealing from me, and didn't tell me, not only would you not be in line for promotion, I would also consider firing you. You know someone's stealing; you help them get away with it by staying silent, and that's somehow NOT dishonest? Looks like I finally get to join the Talk Bass Boyscout Brigade after all!
Click to expand...
Congratulations.
 
#100
I would say something directly their reporting manager. If nothing comes of it, I would take it further up. Why? Because cheats are cheats. You cheat on something like an hour here or there, and you will cheat on something much more important or impactful to the company.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back