Redditor asks: Should I report my boss to HR for asking to borrow money from me and my colleague?
A Redditor who says their manager has been borrowing money from them and their colleague is wondering if they should report it to human resources — and netizens have plenty of advice.
User @thehydroash, who has worked in their company for a year, said in a Jan 5 post that the manager borrowed $1,000 last December, but repaid the amount at the end of the month as promised.
However, on Jan 4, he asked another subordinate for a $1,000 loan, claiming it was to cover his friend's surgery. When she rejected the request, he asked for $500 instead as it was "critical", only to be rejected again.
"He then tried to call me and asked to borrow another $1k stating its [sic] for his friend's mum's surgery. I told him no this time stating that I have things I'm saving for this year. He didn't reply to either of us when we said no."
The Redditor is now worried that the manager might give them a bad appraisal, adding that they are unable to leave the company this year. "Feels extremely unprofessional to put us in this position where we feel pressured to lend him money ... Would you all report this to HR, any similar experiences?"
Not professional or ethically right'
Commenters generally agreed it was unprofessional of the manager to borrow from a subordinate, with many encouraging the original poster to report him to HR.
"This is not professional or ethically right. And it places undue pressure on both you and your friend. It is a toxic work environment," said one Redditor.
"You should report to HR. He could be in financial distress and that may pose a risk to (the) company. If he is indeed in financial distress, you probably won't get your money back," another said.
One said to give the manager a final warning before reporting him, while another suggested leaving the dirty work of reporting him to others: "There is no point in you being the person that calls out your manager. Let other people do it."
Others speculated that the manager had a gambling problem, with one relating an anecdote of a colleague who borrowed from several co-workers. "Afterwards, agree [sic] to pay us by installment, took [sic] few months. But at least finish [sic] paying," said the netizen.
A Redditor advised: "Now he's gonna be terminated. Don't be afraid to whistleblow."
