[Anonymous]

You were attending a company function or a happy hour with the co-workers and one of your superiors pressured you to drink after declining several times?

Or what would you do if you asked for help from one of your superiors in order to complete a task, but they lied to you or gave you the runabout?

How would you handle similar situations if going to HR was not an option?

[Namstut]

Brickell cpa, if I am not mistaken, this is not your first question regarding some questionable and sometimes unethical/illegal behavior. I am assuming you are in some way involved in these situations and my biggest question is – What are you still doing there?

If these are just hypothetical questions, here are my hypothetical answers:

1. Get the hell out of there
2. Get the hell out of there.

AUD 7/6/16 Passed
BEC 9/3/16
FAR TBD
REG TBD

[EZ_Sims_4_me_Pls]

1. I'd probably just say that alcoholism runs in my family

or that I just plain don't like alcohol / makes me feel ill…etc./friend just got a DUI so im laying low for a while..

I haven't drank in 11 years.. ive never really had someone push it after I've gone with one of those reasons

[Missy]

Get a drink and just walk around with it in your hand or if you don't even want to touch it see if you can get the bartender to give you something non alcoholic that looks like a drink. Ginger ale in the right glass can pass for a beer or white wine especially to someone who's had a few already.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Spartans92]

I have had friends/Co-workers offering drinks but when I refuse to take their offer they usually are pretty cool. So if someone forces/pressure there is some underlying issue.

#2. That person is an ASS!!! Big time. Who the hell lies or doesn't help others when they ask for help. All my co-workers are so helpful although I do feel they are annoyed sometimes but they never say and I feel bad. But maybe stay away from that person.

If #1 and #2 is the same person and that individual is a manager/partner perhaps switch teams.. if you can or think about a company with a better culture! Remember Tone at the top, if someone doesn't set a good example, how good could the culture be? I value good work place more than the $$. Just my opinion.

BEC- PASS

[Anonymous]

@Namstut – thanks for the concern. This one is mostly hypothetical. But I have worked for a few different firms where superiors did things like this to the lower level employees. It was like a frat initiation sort of thing. One firm I worked closely with the Senior Manager and he wanted me to help bully some of the first year guys, but I did not want to partake in it. But I am surprised I don't hear more stories like this from others. Many firms I've worked for have questionable management practices and they all varied from reputable big to small sized CPA firms.

Other than the “initiation bullying”, I believe some firms use these techniques for training purposes and to learn more about their employees and how they handle certain situations. To see if they can say no or carry themselves professionally and independently in the eyes of the “public”. Does anyone else see this being a possibility or is that completely unrealistic?

[Namstut]

Brickell, it's very unfortunate that things like this happen in the environment where you would expect professionalism.

So my real answers to these questions:

1. You keep politely declining the drinks and stick to it. Eventually they will get the point.

2. The situation with not being able to complete the task without additional resources – this one is tricky. Does your boss see the value in this task? Where did the request come from? If it came from your boss then I would go back to ask for direction. If it came from elsewhere, then go to the original source for additional information.

AUD 7/6/16 Passed
BEC 9/3/16
FAR TBD
REG TBD

[SuckItUp]

Or you could just have a drink. Ya might just like it. 🙂

[N4]

I know it can be a pain. I suggest you to get either a shirly temple (it looks like an alcoholic drink, if someone says that's a shirly temple say its a dirty shirly) Also you can get a coke at the bar and when someone says “hey that’s a coke” you can lie and say it’s a rum and coke. Don’t order a drink at the table. When someone starts bugging you say ok ill go to the bar and then just order either the coke or shirly temple. That's only if people get really annoying.
If not you can just say no I’m driving or no I don’t like alcohol.

FAR (5/31) PASS (Best birthday gift ever!)

[Author]

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