Major Mistake at Work
 

OK... I know the first thing people will say is go to your boss which I am, but I am freaking out about this.

I work as a consultant, and my job is to know when certain approvals are required and permits, etc. Well we perform tons of sites. Two came up about a year ago and what was required was asked of between my former boss and I. Former boss said oh nothing was required so we went based on that.

Now a year later company wants proof on a series of sites that nothing was required. Since said boss has left I began looking into it. On these two sites yep a permit was required. Now problem is everything has been done and over for about a year.

This is a huge violation to do work without a building permit. It would have been no problem to get one.... Obviously no one ever saw them doing the work to notice, but we could be subject to all kinds of fines, etc.

My problem is yes I will tell my boss, but everything is going to hit the fan and I will be stuck being here without former boss.

I tried finding an old email or something to cover my own butt, but nothing. I just feel its going to be on the end of getting cut over this when I have done nothing but great work for two years there.

If I do get fired its not the end of the world, but how can I recover from something like this.

I actually have applied for two jobs just recently before this even came up to get out of job where everything is on my shoulders... I am sick of feeling that way.

Did former boss leave on good terms with the company, or did he/she get fired (and I don't just mean technically fired, I mean "we mutually decided" or one of those other BS terms that gets used when someone pretty much quits so they don't get fired)?

If it's the latter, you might be perfectly fine. If not - all you can say is your boss told you everything was cool and you went based on that. When it comes down to it, it's your boss's responsibility to make sure everyone under him/her has dne what they should.

I don't see how this is your fault. Your former boss was fully accountable. You even asked him and relied on his answer that no permits were needed. He failed you and failed the client.

I understand that you're the only one left... but part of the beauty of former employees is that they become the scapegoat (whether they deserve it or not) when the time comes to assign blame.

Instead of fishing of fishing for an old email, brainstorm some possible solutions before you speak to your current boss.

Go to your current boss. Tell her the situation, apologize and ask what you can do together as a team to mitigate the damage. You current boss should be the one to take full accountability for this -- she may not have been part of the original decision, but she's your supervisor now and presumably works on this client account. So it is her job to fix it.

If you were to be fired for the mistake of another employee (your old boss), I think you should consult an attorney. You should not be disciplined for doing your due diligence -- consulting with an expert-- relying on their advice and following their directions.

The sooner you communicate this error to your boss, the better you will feel and the sooner everyone can begin to rectify the situation.