Many jobs require minor investments from workers. They may need to put gas in a fleet vehicle on their way to a client’s property. They may need to buy supplies for a project or take a new customer out for a meal.
Employers sometimes give workers access to company cards as a way of offsetting the need to make those purchases. Other times, companies have reimbursement policies. They allow workers to present receipts and request repayment for funds spent on work-related purchases.
Companies may reimburse workers for necessary expenses related to the performance of their jobs. However, some people could submit reimbursement requests for personal purchases. If an employer accuses a worker of abusing the company’s reimbursement policy, is the accused at risk of embezzlement charges?
Reimbursement fraud costs companies money
Embezzlement does not just involve the theft of cash or the misappropriation of physical assets belonging to a business. Any employee conduct that deprives the company of its resources unfairly could lead to accusations of embezzlement.
The misuse of a company reimbursement policy to request money for personal purchases could lead to embezzlement accusations. Companies may also call inappropriate requests reimbursement fraud.
Especially if there appears to be a pattern of multiple, high-cost reimbursement requests, employers may take disciplinary action against workers accused of violating reimbursement policies. They may involve the state and pursue the prosecution of that worker.
Professionals accused of embezzlement due to reimbursement requests are at risk of facing potentially career-ending consequences. Reviewing what led to white-collar criminal charges may help professionals exonerate themselves and avoid the worst consequences of a criminal conviction.