Accountant forced to cover front desk, coworkers see company salaries on his computer screen, they all quit: 'The other employees were livid'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jul 9, 2024 2:00 PM EDT

Here's a good rule of thumb: if an employee is handling confidential information, then it's probably not a good idea to let them do their work out in the open. 

This accountant tried to warn his new manager that it wasn't a good idea for him to cover the front desk on this particular workday, as he was doing payroll (and was the only person in the company capable of handling payroll). It wasn't that the accountant felt "above it" in any way; he knew that from time to time, the accountants in his company were expected to take over the front desk if the receptionists were out of the office. However, this day was not a good idea, and payroll needed to be done. Of course, the new manager didn't digest any of this justified explanation and he took this as an opportunity to flex his muscles, so he forced the accountant to do desk duty. Well, as fate would have it, when the accountant went to the bathroom, other nosy coworkers looked over at his computer screen and learned what everyone's salary was. That's what you get for not listening to reason, boss!

Keep scrolling below for the full story. For more, check out this post about a boss who asked employees to take $5,000 out of their paychecks.

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  • 01
    "Want me to cover the front desk while working on Payroll? Enjoy your angry employees!"
    via Tyler Franta
  • 02
    I (29M) am a Staff Accountant having worked at the same CPA (Certified Public Accountant) firm for 9 years. I've had several coworkers over the years and by this point, I am the most senior aside from the CPA who owns the firm. I love my boss. He pays well, no dress code,
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 03
    doesn't clock watch, and doesn't micromanage. I produce great work for him and he leaves me alone. It could not be more perfect.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 04
    A little about my responsibilities, I do payroll for about 8 clients (as well as ours, this is important), books for about 12 others,
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 05
    preparation of the books for tax returns, as well as work on Partnership and Corporation returns. I'm basically the business package really. Of the 5 Staff Accountants my boss employs, I'm the only one who knows Payroll. My boss doesn't know how to do Payroll (which is not uncommon, quite a few CPAs out there who don't know it)
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 06
    and my coworkers have no interest in learning it. I don't blame them, because I often and moan because my clients are really bad about sending correct hours the first time around, resulting in having to re-do everything from the pay stubs to payroll taxes. It's awful sometimes but it's also job security.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 07
    We recently merged with another CPA firm. My boss ensured that we still only report to him as it's an equal partnership. I don't quite know the workings and frankly I don't care, as long as I only report to my same boss. So our office went from 7 people (1 CPA, 5 Staff Accountants, and a Receptionist) to 18 people (2 Managing CPAs, 3 people who freshly got their CPA, 11 Staff Accountants, and 2 Receptionists). The other CPA firm was using ADP (3rd party
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 08
    payroll service) for their Payroll because it's just not a thing anyone knew there. So my boss asked me if I was fine taking on additional employees in ours, which I told him I was since we get paid monthly. The managing CPAs will be Managers from here on out.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 09
    The other CPA firm we merged with made it pretty clear on that they didn't like us. I presume it's because their boss was a complete tight He was the very opposite of my boss. Dress code was always semi-formal
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 10
    and he was just always on someone about something that was wrong. Me having been there the longest, I was highest on the weird office hate thing. It got to the point where I got them trying to snoop on my computer a few times (which is also integral to the story). My boss just said to just start locking my office when I leave now so that's what I do now.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 11
    The other Manager had a rule where if the receptionists are out, one of the Staff Accountants needs to cover front desk. My boss had no issue with that as that was our rule as well. Luck would have it, both of our Receptionists had called out
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 12
    one day. The other Manager asked me to cover downstairs for the day. I had told him no because I am working on Payroll all day and that is sensitive information (I didn't say it was our Payroll, but our Payroll was on my to-do list).
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 13
    He said he didn't care and told me to get downstairs. I had called my boss and he had asked me to just please cover and that he would talk to the other manager. The other Manager had a big ole smirk on his face. I reluctantly went downstairs in an annoyed sour mood but then a brilliant idea popped up. I'll work on our Payroll downstairs!
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 14
    So I started working on our Payroll and got all the stubs processed and ready for direct deposit. After that, I start working on the Payroll taxes (think Social Security and Medicare). Part of working on payroll taxes is having a summary of the payroll you just ran.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 15
    Conveniently, I needed to go to the bathroom. So, I minimized all the windows on the Receptionist computer, and I called upstairs to see if someone could cover while I go. As good fortune had it, one of the snoopers was the one who came downstairs.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 16
    So, I go to the bathroom and I take a little longer than normal because why not? To add additional context, I make considerably more than all of the Managing CPA's employees, including his fresh CPAs.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 17
    I get back to my desk and he leaves. All my windows aren't minimized anymore. The payroll summary is the first window on screen. The payroll summary shows everything and I mean everything.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 18
    The snooper immediately told everyone, including the other Manager. Now all my coworkers already had an idea of what I made, however the other employees we're livid. None of the other employees wanted to work unless they made what I made. The other Manager
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 19
    was seconds from blowing a gasket but he knew there was nothing he could do to me. I asked my boss to show him the cameras pointed at the Reception desk so he could see exactly what happened. It was all there on camera that he was going through my work.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 20
    Needless to say, I don't cover the front desk anymore and his employee's morale dropped HARD. I do feel bad for them though, even if they are jerks to me. A decent bunch of them left and maybe about half of them had replacements so we're down about 4 people. My boss wasn't particularly happy about the situation as a whole but he said we'll get through it.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 21
    Moral of the story, don't with the only person who knows Payroll.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 22
    [deleted] ⚫ If I said "I can't, I need to do payroll today" and they said “tough”, I wouldn't have done payroll. It's the most time sensitive lever and mucking up pay will get everyone seething.
    via u/StaffAccountantDude
  • 23
    I'd have sat in Reception all day then sent an email out to all at 5pm saying "Hi Everyone, just a heads up that I haven't been able to do payroll today so the wages won't be in on the 20th. I will confirm by email when they're processed, so you can know what date to expect your pay this month".
    via u/StaffAccountantDude

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