Busted for March Madness Office Pool?
[Sorry if this is the wrong forum, please move if appropriate, just wanted to post this on one with a lot of traffic]
Last year I organized our office's March Madness Basketball Pool, but recently Compliance (which has always been a pain in the ass on the most ridiculous and minor of things) apparently came down fairly hard on the person who set up the football bowl pool for all office locations.
I don't plan on doing the bball pool for all locations (or even departments), just my office, so it wouldn't go out across the department's listserv or anything. I'm still concerned that this might result in some push back from Compliance and as a second year I'm not exactly in a great position to fight back if I get in trouble for this.
I know if I proactively reach out to Compliance and ask for the okay to organize the pool I'll get their PC BS answer that implies I shouldn't even think about it, but I feel like just doing it anyway hoping Compliance doesn't find out about it is a risk I'm somewhat worried about.
Basically, I'm wondering if anyone has heard of people getting canned for something like this. Am I over thinking and too concerned about this? Do you guys have office pools? Are they just for your office or multiple locations/departments?
Thanks in advance, (hoping to not get) The Axe
Wasn't there a story a few months ago about a guy getting canned for organizing fantasy football for his office?
That said, almost every bank/group I know of has some sort of office pool for March Madness. I'd just keep it to personal email addresses and don't work on it in the office.
Yes. I don't think gambling is looked upon too nicely in the world of finance. Maybe it's just me...
But I'd be in!
Go through personal emails and don't talk about it too much at work. I understand what companies don't like it because of the reduction in work and the potentially "negative" aspect of workplace gambling, but common! Talk about creating a miserable environment and making everyone hate compliance (more than they already do).
Remember that kid in that thread talking about how compliance is a hidden gem and a steers the ship? I hope he is reading this. This is what you do in compliance, make people miserable over innocuous BS. Steering the ship is a poor analogy, more like athletes foot.
This is what the others were talking about:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2009/12/11/1825336/fidelity-fires-four-for…
I know it sucks, especially this time of year. I have had several guys at the office email me about an office pool. I had to tell them thanks but no thanks b/c for me, the decision is simple.
Best case scenario: play and probably lose $10 to $20 which is no big deal.
Worst Case scenario: Explain to my wife that I got fired for playing in the office pool and now, b/c I have Terminated for cause: gambling on my U-4, good luck finding a job.
This is your job after all. They have already fired someone in your office for exactly this stuff. They made an example out of somebody for a reason.
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