I have a serious question and need help, b/c we all know that the company culture of retaliation is the real deal. AKA....'Career Killer'. I don't know where to turn for real advice other than this board. Honestly advice requested.
Here's my story...
So, the policy of the 'firm' is to make sure that the highest ranking member at any company dinner or function pays for the meal/expense, right? We all know that it is easy to get around this loop-hole, b/c all you need to do is have someone below you expense something and say you were not there and add fictitious names to the expense report to spread the cost out then...send it to your manager for approval and badda-bing...'approved' and the HR/Compliance people are none the wiser. Happens a lot and everyone does it from time to time. It's the best part about managing people imho. Kidding.
So, here's my issue...my manager has been at the company a while. He's not that well respected, but somehow he's protected...even though he's as worthless as the English pound...(read: Peter Principle). Anyway this misogynistic 'leader' always passes me the check or implys I need to pay the bill. He also 'advises' me to add people to the bill who were not there and tells me to not put him on it for approval. He's been doing it for years. He's the same guy always asking for free shoes for his kids and getting them. Nike's got some real fool's Gold with him. He's Jacking me around with all this. imho.
I know it is wrong. I know I can get fired and I know he is protected by the MOTs. Technically, I'm the one who is doing the improper thing, right? But he's the one who is doing my CFE and holding that above my head and has made veiled threats that I should pay for the dinner check. He's invited me out to dinner...which I thought was to discuss work...but it was just so he could get free meal while his wife was out of town. I thought it was a team building thing and it was just so he could get a damn free meal. It's wrong, but he's the one controlling my future at this place and that's not lost on me at all.
I'm the one who will get fired if anyone finds out. I want to tell his new female boss, but I know the repercussions are serious if he finds out it is me. Right? FML.
I don't like breaking policy or fraud-ing the company/shareholders. Nor do I like wasting our NARB T&E money. I am a shareholder too! This pisses me off and puts me in an ethical quagmire that I don't know how to solve. I've mentioned that this is against policy and makes me uncomfortable and since then he's mentioned that he'd told me that he doesn't thinkI'm ready to take on more responsibility to advance. It is pure intimidation and I know in the end if something were to happen he would not protect me. He would blame me to save his arse.
HR and Compliance are totally worthless as we all know, but how can I remedy this situation without losing my job. All they would have to do is look at his travel and my travel and see my expense reports and see that the he was there as well. It's not that hard. Hate nike for this reason. There's two sets of rules. One for the Sr. Directors and one for everyone else.
What would you do?