Possible Job Fraud... any advice?

[octopi]

I work at a government funded research space at a large Canadian university. I've worked there for the past 4 years, usually part time, mostly just for the professional development it offered, not necessarily the money, as it was neither extraordinarily good, nor stable. While we have been overshadowed by other projects at our University and our director has had his fair share of fights with the department over lagging funding and space and equipment use, we've struggled through, and have received funding for another year.

The past year or two has been tough. We've had a new project co-ordinator and she has been the worst (best?) bull shitter in the history of bull shitters. It's amazing what she can sit and bluff her way through. She doesn't know how to code or work with design programs properly and, as such, was in no position to teach us her 'skills' before she left, so we know next to nothing, but are expected to continue her work. She's not really ever done any real work, just been able to put things together in the semblance of real work and write reports that spin her work in a positive way. A few of us on staff are extremely unsatisfied with what has unravelled with our colleague...

I would use the word colleague very loosely in this case. Although this woman has treated me with respect and understanding (to my face, atleast) she has backstabbed other coworkers, ruined professional reputations of yet others, stolen and side contracted out work from our work place for atleast the last 2 years, and this is the part that bothers us most.

She's said she hasn't been paid for over 900h of work (something like $15,000) and wants this banked time paid out, something that our director doesn't really want to do, the main reason being we don't really have the money right now. She constantly talks about this money she needs to be paid out for, as if we've forgotten. Lately, she had taken to having open meetings in our office with other professors at the University, to meet about setting up conferences and websites for them. Contract work that isn't going back into our work at all; it's all into her pocket. On top of that, she's using time and equipment from our workspace to construct these sites.

She's gone now, but her friend (one of a few hired, can you say nepotism?) has taken over her position. I was on his computer the other day doing some design work (not digging, this woman is notorious for deleting all emails, doing things on the phone or in person and reminded her friend to 'blast' or clean her computer's hard drive once she was gone) and noticed that there was a "list" of projects on the desktop. I opened it and saw it was a list of projects my old manager is supposed to get paid for in July. They are essentially a list of all the side projects she's done in the past little while, totalling $16,000.

Now, I'm very tempted to let my boss know this so he doesn't have to blow all this money on her, but it's a touchy situation. The one job she did do well was write for grants; conveniently securing the money she is now owed. He's so under her thumb and she is so good at spinning situations, this could end up with the whole project getting shut down, or just the whistleblower losing their job.

What are my best options here? To go to some mediator on campus or H.R. and see what they say? Approach our director? Is this as big of a conflict of interests as we think? She is moving away from the University and will no longer be in our hair; is there too much water under the bridge to pursue this? Anyone ever blackmailed someone? [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Cliff's notes:
-a former coworker at a University research job has been contracting out work for her own personal gain using work time,resources and equipment. This is a prime example of her unprofessional behaviour.
-she has left, but I found some evidence that she stands to make $16000 from these jobs, something we had not had previously.
-she is owed $15000 from our job; this is b.s. and just proof of how manipulative she is
-I can't go to our research director, he may not believe this story, or the coworker may spin it or lie
-what are my options? Campus HR, lawyer, blackmail?

[ajohnson16]

May I ask what your avatar is from?

[octopi]

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May I ask what your avatar is from?

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It is of me, taken while houseboating a few years ago. Some friends are doing shots from my milksac region, and I particularly enjoy the look on my face afterwards. NOW LET'S GET THIS THREAD BACK ON TRACK!

[funkymunky]

[ QUOTE ]
It is of me, taken while houseboating a few years ago. Some friends are doing shots from my milksac region, and I particularly enjoy the look on my face afterwards. NOW LET'S GET THIS THREAD BACK ON TRACK!

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Yeah, prolly not an option at this point.

[cardcounter0]

This co-worker sounds likes Standard Operating Procedure to me. What is the problem?

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She's not really ever done any real work, just been able to put things together in the semblance of real work and write reports that spin her work in a positive way.

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And you missed the chance to have her mentor you?

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Although this woman has treated me with respect and understanding (to my face, atleast) she has backstabbed other coworkers, ruined professional reputations of yet others, stolen and side contracted out work from our work place for atleast the last 2 years

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If mentoring wasn't an option, you should have been buying her lunch for advice.

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they are essentially a list of all the side projects she's done in the past little while, totalling $16,000.

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What are my best options here?

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Two words: SIDE PROJECTS.

[BigBadBabar]

i would think go to campus hr maybe and make sure you can have a confidential meeting...a lawyer doesn't seem right to me because you personally haven't been wronged--i don't know a ton of law but would you sue her on behalf of your office(?)--it seems more like it's happened to your whole department/group and that you want to keep it secret, so you can't all sue together right now.

i work at a university also and someone was fired from our office a few months back for using company funds/equipment for their own personal use, but much less egregious than your situation. this kind of thing makes me mad because for all of us who play it straight, there's someone like this to mess it all up. some lawyers might do free consultations and you could ask them hypothetically how something like this might proceed? but i think i'd say try hr first as it's an internal matter.

hope you nail her,
bbb

[octopi]

We've set up a meeting with a "conflict specialist" on campus. If that doesn't go to plan; anyone need a website built? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]