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No dilemma here at all - your path is very clear...

There are two internal "parties" with a stake in this situation:

1) Your boss (and his affiliation with the "culprit")
2) Your company

Your allegiance (by contract, in most cases) is with the company and NOT with the boss - so, you are legally (and ethically) bound to bring this to the attention of management.

Can you imagine the damage to your company that would result if this was made public? Credibility and Trust, while taking a long time to "earn", can be destroyed in an instant.

In this situation, once informed, your company's management should contact the client that was "over-charged" and explain that - due to an oversight - some equipment was mis-billed and then pass a credit for the amount. They can explain the delay to the "fact" that the error was only detected during an audit.

So, my recommendation is that you document:

a) The situation (facts, not your suspicions)
b) How you came to discover it
c) The possible ramifications to the company if made public
d) A "solution" to the problem from the client perspective (credit)

Obviously, the company will either have to bear the cost of this "over-charging" and/or seek restitution from the "culprit".

In many cases such as this, companies usually "take the hit" as any legal proceedings against the ex-employee carry a risk of the situation becoming public knowledge with the implications thereof.

Whether or not you include any of these "options & implications" is up to you.

As far as your reporting channel is concerned - you owe it to your immediate boss to not "go around him". Do not talk to him about it - just prepare a memorandum (CYA) and make an appointment to see him.

At the meeting, hand him the memorandum and give the opportunity to read and digest. If he indicates that he wants to "ignore" the matter, then point out to him the risks to the company if the situation were somehow discovered by auditors, etc.

Then, if he insists on a "cover-up" tell him that you are ethically-bound to then report the matter to his superior.

Not easy, is it? But at least you'll be able to shave and look that other fella in the eye when you do...

DevillEars


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