Old Boar's blog (Old Boars blog)

Sometimes it's fun to watch a fight. It appeals to some of the less attractive aspects of human nature, particularly if you're not involved yourself.

Here's one I can see developing near where I am and I'm going to try and not get involved with. Everyone I know has experienced the arguments that develop between departments - "You should pay!", "No! You should!" etc. Well that is what I can see developing and in the end "the little guy" is going to get the blame, I think. What has happened is this -

• Where I work many of the "permies" are paid an accommodation allowance. You know the kind of thing: covers the cost of a flat or lodgings, but less than the cost of living in a hotel. Some choose to live in luxury, some choose penury but pocket the difference. If it works right, it is a win-win for the employer and the employee, and the tax-man makes sure it isn't abused.


• It turns out that some of the charges have been going to the company personnel budget, rather than the project living expenses budget.


• The reason: there are two versions of the claim form: one with a box for the "charge to" code and one without. All these forms are checked (?) and countersigned by the world and his wife, including representatives of the project and the budget owners, and nobody noticed that some of the forms were different.


• Of course the official line is that the people raising the requests are responsible for its content (even if there isn't a question) - "You should have known that was required".


• Naturally there is no way for the individual involved to see where their money is coming from. They can see Whether they are getting paid, but not where from which account.

If I took this at all seriously, I'd suggest that someone should look at this "business process". But I don't, so I'm not going to get involved. You've got to laugh, haven't you?