Citibank and the banker who ordered TWO sandwiches?!

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Guys! This is compulsive reading!

Also a tale of morality.... never again will I order TWO sandwiches for lunch again, for me OR a friend

Citibank wins case after sacking banker over two-sandwich lunch claim

 

[Genie+]

The problem was the employee misunderstood the $100 limit per day. They thought as long as they stayed under that amount they were beyond questioning. They were wrong. There were 2 stipulations - you stay under $100 limit and only buy food for yourself. It’s not to share with friends/family. Instead of trying to learn what exactly were the terms, they chose to lie to get around it and repeatedly pushed back on it with snark. Their position was in the fraud department. Citibank felt they were no longer a good fit for that position because they lacked ability to understand guidelines and lacked integrity.

 

[china mom]

In my former career those of us in a certain position were given a clothing allowance - to be used for work clothing (business attire). We had to turn in receipts and could spend up to a certain amount. One guy turned in his receipt and the accounts department ran the SKU and discovered that some of the items were women's' clothing. There was quite a kerfuffle over that one. He didn't get fired but was made to pay it back plus had disciplinary action taken against him.

 

[GreatLakes]

The lie is what got him fired, not the sandwiches. All he needed to do when originally asked was say he was with his partner and thought the daily allowance covered the meal. When it was clarified it would only cover his then he needed to adjust the reimbursement.

I've traveled for work and had family with me and this isn't exactly unclear. If we all eat a meal together only my portion is expensed.

 

[Kennywood]

"It's not the crime. It's the coverup."

 

[kdonnel]

I imagine there is a great deal of fraud in business travelers expense reports.

I’m surprised they looked so closely at an expense that was below the allowed daily limit.

At companies I have worked at, receipts are not needed if the claimed amount is at or below the daily meal limit.

I am guessing that Citibank was looking for a way and reason to let the employee go and know there would be no chance of a lawsuit.

 

[sam_gordon]

At companies I have worked at, receipts are not needed if the claimed amount is at or below the daily meal limit.

At my old television station, we needed receipts for EVERYTHING. I got called onto the carpet one time because I listed a drinks I got out of a vending machine.

Another time, I got to turn in a receipt for condoms. As I said, I worked at a television station. We were doing a live remote and rain was expected. A standard way to protect microphones from rain is to put them in a condom. So I had to buy a box of condoms. The CFO wasn't happy when I laughed when she asked me about it. "Isn't there anything else to use?" Nope. The box was kept at the station and they were used in subsequent years (to protect microphones).

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I imagine there is a great deal of fraud in business travelers expense reports.

I’m surprised they looked so closely at an expense that was below the allowed daily limit.

At companies I have worked at, receipts are not needed if the claimed amount is at or below the daily meal limit.

I am guessing that Citibank was looking for a way and reason to let the employee go and know there would be no chance of a lawsuit.

We look at receipts just knowing what people try and pull. Most people are fine but there is a shockingly large amount of people that will absolutely try and get whatever they can get "for free". Don't hand me in a receipt with prime rib and lobster tail on it for lunch with a 25% tip... if you don't eat that way on your dime don't eat that way on ours.

 

[kdonnel]

Another time, I got to turn in a receipt for condoms.

One trip to WDW my wife and I did not come prepared.

Turns out we had time one night for some fun so I went down to the gift shop at The Polynesian and got some condoms.

The cashier told me to have a good night, looked at my purchase, turned red, and then I said, I plan to, and laughed.

It was probably my best comeback in the moment.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

One trip to WDW my wife and I did not come prepared.

Turns out we had time one night for some fun so I went down to the gift shop at The Polynesian and got some condoms.

The cashier told me to have a good night, looked at my purchase, turned red, and then I said, I plan to, and laughed.

It was probably my best comeback in the moment.

Shameful that you passed up on one of the common Disney "gifts" that people bring back from vacation

 

[MillauFr]

Yeah I recently attended a conference in Orlando. I did not turn in my $25 parking receipts for Disneyworld....

 

[tvguy]

At my old television station, we needed receipts for EVERYTHING. I got called onto the carpet one time because I listed a drinks I got out of a vending machine.

Another time, I got to turn in a receipt for condoms. As I said, I worked at a television station. We were doing a live remote and rain was expected. A standard way to protect microphones from rain is to put them in a condom. So I had to buy a box of condoms. The CFO wasn't happy when I laughed when she asked me about it. "Isn't there anything else to use?" Nope. The box was kept at the station and they were used in subsequent years (to protect microphones).

You know, I had heard of the condom trick but never ever saw it in use in 46 years in broadcasting. We used 635's and I swear they work under water. Although these days photogs just use a lav and have the reporter wear it under their rain gear.
My first station, under the union contract we got $50 a day for meals (1970's) if we were more than 75 miles from the station. My first expense report on a trip I itemized every meal and every tip. Business manager called me in and said "just put $50 meal allowance, and if you go somewhere like New York City where costs are higher, come see me and we'll get that handled". My second station got bought by Sinclair and they wanted an itemized receipt for every meal, down to what entree you ordered. Many restaurants don't give receipts that are that detailed. I was lucky, the one time I had an expense report I took a job applicant out to eat and the restaurant did give a detailed receipt, HOWEVER Sinclair expense policy says you can't tip more than 15% so because I tipped 20%, they cut the reimbursement on the tip back to 15% and the other 5% came out of my pocket.

 

[Sweettears]

In my opinion, They were looking for a reason to fire this employee and didn’t have much to go on. They found a loop hole and pulled the trigger. I don’t think that there is much deeper thinking beyond this.

 

[Communicore1991]

The lie is what got him fired, not the sandwiches. All he needed to do when originally asked was say he was with his partner and thought the daily allowance covered the meal. When it was clarified it would only cover his then he needed to adjust the reimbursement.

I've traveled for work and had family with me and this isn't exactly unclear. If we all eat a meal together only my portion is expensed.

"It's not the crime. It's the coverup."

This is EXACTLY why the employee got fired. Having a similar investigative job, I can tell you that typically an internal investigations team will confirm the allegation, pass their findings to HR, and HR will determine the outcome of the employee, not the manager (the manager may push for HR to go lighter on their employee or just accept the outcome).

Aggravating factors such as continually lying after being given multiple chances to tell the truth and after being confronted with evidence to the contrary makes the outcome worse for the employee almost without fail. Had the employee admitted what they did after the first or even second time being questioned, they probably would have gotten a "Don't do that ever again" and everyone would have moved on.

The logic for firing someone if they don't "confess" is that if they are willing to be so unethical to lie even with direct proof otherwise about as something as small as a <$100 expense, what else would they be willing to lie or cover up? It's really a violation of ethics and lack of confidence in the employee at that point.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Shameful that you passed up on one of the common Disney "gifts" that people bring back from vacation

Yep, my cousin has a Disney "gift"

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I have been doing this for the last 40+ years you’d be surprised how many people pull this -most receipts list how many people were at the table so it’s pretty easy to see how many people were eating
Most of the time people aren’t fired over this they’re fired over lying when given the opportunity to confess and they don’t and I agree it’s not the manager it goes to HR
If this man lied about something so simple as $100 lunch you have to ask yourself what else was this person doing? And what was his job title? Unbelievable I’ve seen so much fraud in 40 years it’s just mind blowing

 

[Pink Partridge]

Guys! This is compulsive reading!

Also a tale of morality.... never again will I order TWO sandwiches for lunch again, for me OR a friend

Citibank wins case after sacking banker over two-sandwich lunch claim

You absolutely should not be ordering lunch for a friend and expensing it to your employer.

Of course, if you are approved to take out colleagues for a business luncheon/dinner, that is a different story.

 

[sam_gordon]

You know, I had heard of the condom trick but never ever saw it in use in 46 years in broadcasting. We used 635's and I swear they work under water. Although these days photogs just use a lav and have the reporter wear it under their rain gear.

Yea, not referring to mics used during live shots which might be exposed to the rain for 15 minutes. Talking about live, all day events, with the gear exposed for 8-12 HOURS.

 

[Allison]

In my opinion, They were looking for a reason to fire this employee and didn’t have much to go on. They found a loop hole and pulled the trigger. I don’t think that there is much deeper thinking beyond this.

It isn't a loop hole though. They did something wrong.

 

[GAN]

No comment on the expense issue.... but he should be embarrassed for ordering a Bologn-"aise"! What the heck is that?!?! Sounds AWFUL......