Quote From: wishinthinI'm 40 yrs old and work for my father at his real estate office. It is a small business with about 20 employees. For 12 years I worked as his assistant, he is the broker, and everything was good. Then I discovered that the bookkeeper he employed was embezzling money and had been for years. She was paying all her bills, her housepayment, every thing and getting cash plus her weekly paychecks. My father never checked the check register or bank statements. Now I tried to tell him and he would put me off, until very bluntly I showed him copies of checks she forged, and copies of the check register that changed every week after she would correct them. So she was fired immediately and my father made me take over everything. Now the problem is I do all the bookkeeping, all the property management, all the office support and I was never formerly trained for accounting, I do everything from the taxes, payroll taxes, distribution of rental income, etc. I can't keep up, I'm getting more behind everyday, the help he hires me is pathetic, I work overtime don't get no overtime, no benefits, no insurance, no nothing no raises and he tells me how bad I'm doing everyday cuz I'm not keeping up with everything. I want to quit but this is my kids future this business and I want to get them interested to help me. what do i do?
I wanted to write back to you, because I am also in a family business. Ours is a little different. My husband and I co-own a construction business. He does the work and I do the bookkeeping. We also have 3-4 employees. It is very stressful at times and rewarding on the other hand. We have been doing it so long now, I don't know what else we would do.
But, to address your problem. You need a pat on the back for standing up for what is right. If the old secretary was embezzling money, it needed to come out. It is just my opinion, but since your father has put all the bookkeeping in your hands. Don't let him make you feel bad, because now you can't keep up. If I were you, I would take matters into my own hands. Hire your own people as helpers. If what he is sending you, doesn't work, then hire them yourself. You can decide what qualifications they need, you could interview them and make sure you get the ones you want. You don't need to walk away from the business, take charge of it. If you have to run all your decisions through your dad, then you maybe need to sit down and have a talk with him and tell him this is what you want to do. Tell him you have a plan to get it all back together. Then go for it.
As for the overtime. There is no need to go to the labor board either. This is just part of owning abusiness. You work you butt off sometimes with out compensation. There is a saying that goes, If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it, It's the hard that makes it great. Take charge, make a difference. Everyone will benefit from it. Good Luck!!
