Advice required

[LTT]

Thank you for the add.
Looking for some assistance on a matter of employment law. A relative is under pressure to sign some timesheets for their employer, over a potential insurance claim. These timesheets have been inflated to make it appear that the employers costs due to this claim, were higher than they actually were. My relative so far has questioned this and believes he will be forced to sign these documents. He is not sure whether the manager who has presented him with this paperwork, is acting alone, or has instructions from on high, to do this. He therefore doesn't know where to turn. Other staff have signed these sheets, without question. (My relative has 4 weeks short of 2 years service)

[Amethyst]

If the insurers query the timesheets, it would fall to your relative to answer any discrepancies on the evidence presented.

How far out are these timesheets from reality ? Do employees normally complete timesheets ( is it an hourly paid timesheet type job ? or are these solely for the purposes of insurance - so timesheets specific to a particular activity that was related to the issue that gave rise to the insurance claim ? )

Personally, I'd amend to the correct timings because sleep would not be an option otherwise.

Is there an HR department where your relative works ? Could he contact HR and say something like ' I've been given a timesheet to sign but it doesn't look right , could you check my hours for x,y,z days ' ??

Tagging Ula as I do understand the concerns with regards being 4 weeks under 2 years and feeling vulnerable. ( Would it be classed as a protected disclosure ? (if it's insurance fraud then it's criminal) )

[Kati]

Ula mariefab ??

[ULA]

My thoughts are that even though your relative has just under two years service then I agree with Amethyst that to sign the timesheets knowing they were not correct for the purposes of an insurance claim would be fraud.

In terms of the issue of any repercussions from the company then if they were to dismiss your relative then my thoughts are that there could still be some protection since someone cannot be dismissed for "Whistleblowing" and one of the criteria given as an example is the reporting of a criminal offence e.g. fraud.

This may be a useful link to look at https://www.gov.uk/whistleblowing