If I am responsible for petty cash and I've been made to sign paperwork to that effect can I be forced to give somebody access to that same petty cash?

Forced to give someone else the key to the cash box?

Yes I’m being told that this other person needs to have a key to the cash box.

You should ask the boss how it’s going to be rectified so that you each are responsible only for your own.

I will ask but I don’t see how to people can both be responsible at the same time for the same petty cash account because I’m not even agreeing to being responsible for half the money

I don’t see a problem with two people having access to petty cash. If there ever is a tally problem then it will be addressed at that time, but trusting two or three people to a cash drawer, safe, etc., isn’t unusual in my opinion.

If two people have a key then obviously only one of them will not be held solely as accountable. Keep a log book with double signatures if you’re that worried about it.

I guess the question I have is who would be responsible if it comes up short. Because I’m not willing to share that accountability was somebody else. I know I’m an honest person and I know I’m good with money and I don’t make mistakes with money. I don’t know that about the other person and unfortunately I have worked with other people in the past who have been caught stealing and fired. But in the meanwhile if they’re not caught I’m not going to even pay back 50% of the money I’m not even going to pay back 10% of the money. Right now they have my signature for when I took her the petty cash account that I’m responsible for any losses before I give anybody else access I’m going to ask for that form back

@Jak… the thing is that most people would have to sign every time a transaction was done and this person is not going to take the time to do that. Also once I’ve left for the day this person to just go into the petty cash box and take money if they wanted and I would never know. And I don’t necessarily think of person would but that’s not the point the point is that they could do that

Signing for money is not an unreasonable expectation. Count it when you leave at night log it and sign it. Count it when you come in in the morning. Log it and sign. This is a document which covers you. there’s your solution. if you know continue to be safe and try and come up with reasons why it won’t work I will begin to think that they are right that about you in your previous question about your boss.

I’ve been reading some guidelines on the internet for petty cash accounts and they do say that another person should have access to that they can spot check the account at any time. I have no problem with that except that I think when this person does the spot check I should be present. Otherwise what’s to prevent them from taking money out and saying I was short? So I think the way it should be handled if I am going to be held responsible is that there is one key which I hold. Whenever that person wants to do a spot check and it will have to be while I’m there they will come get me I will get the cash box and open it in front of them and they will count the money while I watch.

Except you don’t get to dictate company policy. Good luck with that.
I see you writing. Don’t bother. I’m indifferent. Jak out.

@Jak… that might work but it would be very time-consuming. And it would still be his word against mine if I came in the morning and found out that money was missing. You see he’s there later than me and he could easily go in and take money after I had left

It sounds like there is a lot of distrust at your job; I can tell if it is by you or towards you. From all your questions, it seems like it is not a good fit there for you any more.

I’m starting to think that too. The problem is I have a disability as regards my eyesight right now and for me to find another job would be very difficult. For me it’s not even a matter of trust or distrust for the other person it’s the fact that people can make mistakes and I shouldn’t have to be responsible for other people’s mistakes. That being said I have seen multiple instances of how he is not honest. I have seen him lie to other staff to their face. Today he basically was telling a therapist that is equipment got damage that was sent home with a student that he would just lie and tell the company that it was damaged at school. So you see why I’m not feeling very comfortable about this guy having access to something that I am responsible for. And while I agree that I would like more than anything to get away from the situation I am in a real quandary right now where I cannot reasonably expect to find another job with the condition of my eyes as they are

Why don’t you address your concerns with your supervisor then and ask them how they want to handle any questions of short falls or errors in the cash drawer?

I know a lot of you think that I have it in for my boss. The funny thing is I read an article on LinkedIn the other day talking about five ways you can tell that your boss can’t be trusted. The sad thing is I have witnessed every single one of the five situations that they listed in the short amount of time that he is been there. I don’t know if it’s because there are a lot of managers on this site who are just seeing things more naturally from his perspective but I’m telling you there is something not right about this guy. I may not have a choice but to go along with all his changes but I will not be responsible for his potential dishonesty

And no, signing a receipt is not time consuming.

Sorry I’m confused. Signing a receipt? I meant that the money would have to be counted money morning and night and that takes time. He’s already doesn’t need that the only time I can handle petty cash transactions is at the very end of the day before I go home. That means I will have no time to count it before I leave and I’m starting to feel like he is manufacturing a situation that I am not going to be happy with

I’ve never heard of someone being held responsible (read that fired) for a money loss without proof. If discrepancies come up then it will be addressed. The company will either do a set up to catch the thief, or they will go to only letting one person having a key. Most people don’t steal. Of course, some people do, but stealing petty cash would get caught quickly and is a small amount of money, so it’s a stupid theft.

Petty cash isn’t usually checked daily. It’s not like a register drawer.

No when I took over the petty cash account I had to sign a paper to the effect that I would be responsible for the funds. But now they seem to be letting this guy demand whatever changes he wants to be making

Can you say you would prefer not to handle the petty cash?

And we have up to $500 an hour petty cash account so that’s not a small amount. I currently don’t want to be responsible for that. I wouldn’t even want to be responsible for $20 if somebody else took it or made an honest mistake and gave somebody back too much change

I have thought about doing that. And I would be perfectly happy to relinquish that to somebody else. The problem is is that it’s usually handled by the person in my position and I’m worried that he would use that as ammunition to say I don’t want to perform my duties

$500 an hour petty cash? What does that mean? You handle about $4,000 a day in petty cash? That seems like a lot.

Although, when I work in department stores we easily handle that much money in a register, not to mention I can open all registers in the store. All associates can do transactions in all registers.

Sorry that’s my voice feature going awry. It should read $500 in petty cash

So what I was trying to say with my very cryptic statement was that it’s not just pocket change that another person would have access to but again sorry for the confusion

$500 is pocket change for most companies. That’s why it called petty cash. If some cash was missing it would be $20 hear and there, because most thieves will try to get away with it and not take a huge amount that would be obvious right away. So, the risk to the business is realistically even a even a lesser amount.

I feel badly you are in a job that you obviously feel very uncomfortable in. I feel like you are on guard constantly, and that can’t be a good feeling.

It’s a horrible feeling and it’s taking a toll on my health. And I never felt like this before this new guy came. That being said my old boss never tried to be on the petty cash account either she understood why one person had to be on it

Can you go above his head? I don’t mean to complain, I just mean to say you’re not comfortable signing to be responsible if other people will have access.

You really are over thinking this. @Jak has the solution of counting and signing each morning and each night and sign off. It would take very little time to count 500. Is this your boss that wants to have access to the money also? I think that anything this guy suggested, you would find fault with and many reasons why you shouldn’t have to do it.
You have two options here. Find another job or keep this one and stop fighting you boss at every turn. You are making yourself miserable.
If he is the conniving thief that you make him out to be, he will eventually be caught.

Yes, I agree with @chyna that you should stop worrying about it so much.

Does your company have a security department? Tell them you don’t trust your boss and let them keep an eye on him.

Maybe the other person is as distrustful of you and has the same concerns. This is something that needs to be discussed with them and your supervisor.

Where I work, we all have access to the petty cash box which is kept in a locked drawer. Sometimes we sell things (exam books, tickets to events that we sponsor) and we all can handle those transactions. There are about 8 people with access to the cash box. No one person is responsible. We’d all be questioned if there was a discrepancy but it doesn’t occur to any of us, I guess, because in the over 4 years that I’ve been here, that has not happened.

If you are concerned, request a meeting with your supervisor or with whomever told you that you are solely responsible. Ask them how you can be held responsible when the other person has access too. I am betting there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation, or that you are mistaken about being solely responsible. Perhaps the paperwork you signed that you are responsible was from years ago and now it’s changed because the new guy is added on. Clarify it with the boss.

If your meeting still doesn’t pan out to your satisfaction, send an email with your concerns. The good thing about email is that it’s got a time and date stamp on it and it can be as clear as you want it to be. That way, nobody can say that the discussion didn’t take place and there should be no misunderstandings.

@canidmajor How would the boss trying to have access to the petty cash imply the boss doesn’t trust the OP?

@yankeetooter I’m going to go with your gut feeling for a moment. I think you should start writing things down in your calendar so you can feel a little control. Notes in a calendar are used in court cases as evidence. If you ever have a situation where you need to defend yourself you will have information about what took place.

Regarding the cash box, just explain your concern about the document you signed. Get reassurance so you feel better.

Where does she say that it’s the boss? I missed that. There are others she doesn’t trust, I thought it might be one of them.

I think (if I read this correctly and from her past posts), that the other person who is doing the petty cash is not the boss, it’s a coworker. I think she just doesn’t trust the boss in general, there’s an atmosphere of distrust. Also, @yankeetooter has expressed anger here toward changes the new boss has made.

I assumed it was the boss because she says her old boss never tried to be on the petty cash account.

^ I thought that was it too.

I also am confused at this point about who is who. Hopefully, the OP comes back and straightens it out.

Oh, her most recent post does kind of imply that, yeah. I wish it were clearer.