I have a huge issues with my manager (Controller) and his manager (Chief Financial Officer)

I have a huge issues with my manager (Controller) and his manager (Chief Financial Officer)

The Controller (whom I report to) makes several mistakes than a normal accounting manager and these are costly mistakes for the company. Some of the mistakes include messing up employee paychecks each pay period, does not pay use/sales tax on time (which costs the company in late fees), does not file quarterly payroll reports (there are penalties for these), forgets to mention high paying commissions to me, steps out of line and asks employees (whom do not report to him) where they’ve been or why they’re late getting to the office, gossips horribly with the CFO, all female office staff (HR, Admin Assistant, CFO and myself) are expected to help with employee events, but the controller is not - the worst part is the CFO gives him a pat on the back for all his help, the controller makes changes the Human Resources employee census spreadsheet like deleting necessary data without any discussion (this census is specifically for HR use only). There are far more mistakes and unprofessionalism examples and the controller repeats over and over.

After every mistake the controller makes with payroll, bank reconciliations, late payments, etc. I have to go back and clean it all up even though it was the mistakes of the controller. I’ve brought it up to him several times that your mistakes are stressful and costing the company a lot of money. This cannot keep happening. Well of course he continues to do them for months. Every month it is the same things - missed payments, missed deadlines, mistakes on payroll, etc. So I went above him and addressed my concerns to the CFO. The CFO looked the other way and said do not ever discuss negative comments about the controller to me again (definitely threatened me). Then she realized how condescending she was and said well actually we can meet once a week if you have any questions and I’ll make sure things will get addressed professionally.

I definitely did address, I had a concern with how the controller trained me on how unpaid time for salaried employees was supposed to be processed. Of course the controller incorrectly trained me on the process (shocker). You would think the CFO would address her concerns with the controller because the way I was being trained was not right. No, she chewed my ass because I was in the wrong. I made it very clear that I was asking a question because the way the controller showed me was making me second guess. So, the CFO starts calculating the amount to be paid on the salaried employees paycheck and showed me how to do this correctly. The CFO said she’ll check with the controller to make sure that he is following company policy. I said thank you and went back to work. Later on, she came into my office and closed the door. I was very nervous. She said the controller was doing exempt unpaid time correctly you were doing it wrong (in a very rude, condescending tone). I said oh that’s interesting, who do you think trained me on this. The CFO walked out of my office.

This situation happened again, when I had to setup new company unemployment taxes for payroll. I had the controller help me set up the tax calculations and he was showing me how much he knew to enter them in our system. His confidence actually had me believing he knew what he was doing. Well a few months later came around when we had to file and NONE of the amounts were adding up to what we owed for the quarter. I brought the attention to the CFO. And again, it was all my fault and I got my ass chewed by something the controller showed me how to do. Neither of these times did my boss admit his mistakes and I received the blame. I stayed way later to figure this out and cleaned up the issue. I received no thank you or good work for these extra hours to clean up something I did not do. An email later was sent on saying how great of a job the controller did for completing a fast month end close deadline. Talk about a feeling of a punch to the stomach.

Months go on and on, I still cannot get along with my manager (the controller). Several of the same mistakes still continue to happen an no one to confide in. I tried going to HR to address my concerns; she sees the exact same issues and tried to address them to the CFO as well. The CFO continues to look the other way, ignore, or defend the controller - even to the HR manager.

How would you handle this?

Is it time to leave the company? Especially if these mistakes are costing the company and borderline almost hurting them in a legal matter!

Why does the CFO continually defend the wrong doings of the controller??

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14 Comments

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  1. Anonymous

    Omg!
    This is a lot and it's an unfortunate situation you are going through. At this rate, I believe it's time to move on.

    It feels like your mental health, stress level etc., is through the roof or at risk and I do not want this to become a hostile work environment for you.

    It sounds like you've exhausted the channels that should have helped remedy the situation but it hasn't worked out, so I'd say it's time to go. This is not giving up, this is a matter of choosing your health and wellbeing.

    If your work environment cannot provide positivity, safety and proper support, then it's not for you. It's also recognizing that some battles just aren't worth fighting anymore. Clearly, this person is aware of their privilege and power, and if no other higher up finds this behavior a concern, you should run! What's scary is this is all re: financial discrepancies and bad management behavior within this company, too -- yeah, funny biz is not good for biz.

    I don't know what your financial circumstances are but I do hope you're looking and getting a plan together to leave. Even if it means departing w/o another job lined up (not ideal, I know but sometimes radical changes have to be made). Staying there seems like it is doing more harm than good for you (mentally and professionally) and it's not worth your mental health.

    Please make some time for self-care. You need it. Good luck to you and I do hope you strongly consider a new role. It's time.

  2. Anonymous

    Thank you so much for your advice. You are definitely right. I’ve been here for a 1.5 years and I just cannot worry about the company. I need to take action in my own hands by getting out of this. Sometimes I honestly worry that I’ll show up for work and the doors will be closed.

  3. Kat

    This is not a situation you can fix yourself. You've done everything you can and management looks the other way. Maybe the CFO has a personal relationship/connection with the Controller. Or the Controller was hired by the CEO so the CFO can't do anything about it. Doesn't matter why. Just get out before the company goes under or gets investigated. Time they fixed their own messes.

  4. Anonymous

    The details and reasons why don't make any difference and are not at all you concern or responsibility.

    Is it time to leave you ask? If course. You have done all you can do and have been told and shown multiple times that this is not your situation to judge or correct. Very simply....stand down. A corporate officer is signing off on this behavior and patting him on the back. He's a Rockstar. You are not.

    So bottom line stop trying to fix a problem you have no authority over. No one cares what you see, know or think. Harsh? Yes but you need to acknowledge your behavior so this doesn't come back to bite you.

    So stay or leave but please stop keeping the list of wrongs. No one cares.

  5. Crystal Howell

    Time to Move On, and Do You! Obvious they both don't know what they are doing and using you and the team as scapegoats, when the xxx hits the fan with the auditors.

    Move on

  6. Anonymous

    could be fraud masked as mistakes. Be careful. I would leave the moment you find a suitable replacement job.

  7. JJ

    I would quit. That’s all very unethical and suspicious.

  8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

    Why are you still working at this company? No - seriously - why?

  9. Anonymous

    There must be a compelling reason you insist on remaining there. Keeping a list of all the shenanigans is really interesting. I'm trying to understand why you remain and keep asking the question as to why these things are happening. Seems strange you haven't figured it out and keep expecting to change things.

  10. Jennifer Finger

    Instead of asking why the CFO keeps defending the controller who keeps messing up, I think you should document all this and bring it to the attention of the CEO and human resources. Then, even though you're not a "job jumper," I would start looking for a new job. A company with an incompetent controller and a CFO who ignores, accuses, threatens and pulls rank on you is so toxic that I don't see any kind of promising future there.

  11. Communication Coach

    You need to protect your own liability - get out! There is more to the story none of know, including you. You tried to remedy the issues - it didn't work. Move on - there is a reason!

  12. Sidney Bristow

    As someone already mentioned, this may be fraud disguised as mistakes. If it is, you don't want to take the fall for bad actors. And if these really are mistakes, I personally couldn't work for someone incompetent and for someone intentionally enabling the incompetence.

  13. Anne M Ginsberg

    Is it time to leave? YES!!! Past time!

    Why does the CFO defend the controller? Who cares!

    Get out of there!! I’m shocked that you’ve stayed this long.

  14. Vanda Lee

    Reading all the responses and agree... start looking immediately for another position. It's not job jumping after 1.5 yrs. If asked in an interview why you left, just say something to the effect of looking for opportunities for growth and advancement that weren't being offered there...

    My other concern is if these mistakes turn into legal issues - the payroll mistakes for example - I'm concerned that you will be the scapegoat. Document, document, document to cover your arss! There's something going on that's bigger than you, especially if HR has addressed it as well to no avail. Keep your head down, do the work and focus on getting another position somewhere else asap!

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